


Among Thorns

by emmiegrace



Series: Among Thorns [1]
Category: Broadchurch, Doctor Who
Genre: Angst, Child Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Marriage, Murder, Religion, Rewrite, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-05-10 02:13:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 72,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14728017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmiegrace/pseuds/emmiegrace
Summary: Rejoice, for among thorns there are roses.A Broadchurch Rewrite wherein Alec Hardy is married to Rose Tyler.





	1. Episode I

**Author's Note:**

> -This is a Universe without The Doctor.  
> -Rose is very religious.

_[Friday, 19 July, 2013]_

“Oi! Don’t you sneak past!” Maggie broke off mid sentence to call out the open door. Rose looked over her shoulder to see Mark Latimer enter the _Echo_ news office and grinned at the new arrival.

“No, no! Alright, Maggie? Rose?” He greeted them merrily. “Got your ad renewal for you here, Mag.” He said, pulling the money out of his pocket as the girls came over to the counter.

“Ah, a week late,” Maggie teased, sending Rose a significant look.

“Well sorry, no one’s perfect, eh?” he chuckled, waving as he stepped back out.

Rose smiled as she watched him continue on down the street, greeting the various townspeople by name as he went. It was an odd prospect for her, having grown up in London, suddenly being in a town so small everyone knew each other. There was virtually no privacy or anonymity here- but then again, that’s why her and Alec came to Broadchurch in the first place.

“So, those pictures then?” Maggie asked, bringing Rose’s attention back to the present.

“Oh, yeah. I’ll be out there anyway. I’ll see if Alec can bring my camera by,” she agreed, delighting in the smile that it brought to Maggie’s face.

“Oh Rose, you are a Godsend!” the older woman rejoiced, hugging Rose quickly before swinging back around to whatever she’d been working on before she’d pulled Rose off the street.

Rose rolled her eyes good-naturedly and pulled her mobile out as she started back down High Street towards the school. Alec picked up on the third ring. “Hey love,” he said, and Rose smiled a little to herself that she didn’t get the ‘what’ he greeted every other call with.

“You were gone early this morning,” she chatted, turning the corner into the school gates.

“Mm yeah woke me up to look at a tractor,” Alec informed her dryly, and Rose knew he was rubbing at the bridge of his nose tiredly. She heard the copper in question say something to him, and Alec pulled back the phone to shoot something back.

“Think you’ll be stopping back by the house then?” she asked, biting her lip as she looked down at her watch. 7:30- he didn’t technically need to be in the office until eight.

“I might…” he started slowly, suspiciously. “Why?”

“Maggie asked if I could take some pictures of the kids today. It’s sports day,” she told him, waving to another passing teacher as she unlocked her door to the art room.

“Front page worthy, that is,” he replied sarcastically, and Rose rolled her eyes. It was a good thing she was a teacher and not a photojournalist, the way her husband felt of the media.

“Mm yeah be grateful that’s front page here.” She didn't miss a beat. After Sandbrook, they needed all the slow news days Broadchurch had to offer. She set her bag down and leaned back in her chair, intent on enjoying the half hour she had until the bell rang and she’d need to head outside to help set-up.

“Alright, yeah. We’re heading to the cliffs now to follow up a call from the coast guard. I can pop into the house and bring it by later,” he promised, already sure that whatever was waiting for him on the beach wasn’t going to take up more than an hour. Probably just another drunk and disorderly.

“Mm you’re the best,” Rose grinned.

“Mm,” Alec agreed. “Give Daisy my luck. I’ll try and stop by to see her compete. Four hundred metre, yeah?”

Rose nodded before she remembered her husband couldn’t see her. “Yeah. Her and the Latimer boy, I think.”

“She’ll kick his arse,” he answered confidently.

Rose chuckled. “They’re in the same house, dear.”

Alec cleared his throat. “Yeah, well.” He paused and Rose heard the car engines turn off. “We’re here. I’ll see you later. Love you.” He was already speaking in short clipped sentences as he went back into Detective-Inspector-Mode.

Rose sighed. “Yeah, alright. Love you too.” A second later the phone beeped to inform her he’d ended the call. She looked down at the screen to see a text from none other than Beth Latimer.

**-Have you seen Danny?**

Rose bit her lip as she ran through the list of students she’d passed on her way in. **-No, but I just got in. I’ll ask Daisy. Is everything alright?**  

Beth answered a few moments later. **-Yeah, don’t worry! He just left his lunch. No point bothering Daisy about it.**

Rose smirked and answered with the thumbs-up emoji, but sent a quick text to her daughter anyway just to be helpful. When five minutes passed without reply she shrugged and stood up, grabbing her spare (older, not as fancy) camera from her desk drawer just in case.

The sixth years were already on the field when Rose arrived and she chuckled. The older students took sports day _a lot_ more seriously than the rest of the primary school. She looked across the field to where she saw the secondary school kids ‘training’ as well and shook her head. _That_ explained it. She spotted her daughter amongst the other runners and was tempted to go over and embarrass her, but was stopped as she saw all the set-up that still needed getting done before the rest of the kids came out.

 

Rose worried when soon nine o’clock was fast approaching and still no Alec, wondering what had happened at the cliffs to get him so distracted, but shook it off almost immediately. They were in _Broadchurch._ Nothing bad could happen in a small town like this.

Olly pulled her out of thoughts as she snapped a few more pictures of the egg relay winners. “Thanks for doing this, Rose. No idea why Reg didn’t turn up. Was worried I’d have to take pictures with my mobile until I saw you already on it.”

“Yeah well you know Maggie.” Rose grinned, standing up and sending the kids on their way. “Always ten steps ahead of the rest of us.”

Olly snorted at that. “Oh you’re telling me.”

Rose chuckled, and looked down at her camera to scroll back through the photos she’d taken. They were good, but they could have been better. “Wish Alec had been able to bring me my nicer camera though,” she lamented.

Olly’s brow immediately furrowed. “Got held up at the station?” he asked, and Rose looked up at the familiar tone.

“Oh, don’t you start.” She shook her head knowingly at the young reporter. “I swear you should move to London the way you look for bad news.”

He laughed good-naturedly at that and shrugged. “Yeah, I can’t help it," he joked, and Rose squinted over his shoulder as she spotted Beth Latimer sitting down with some of the other parents.

“Excuse me.” She mumbled distractedly, heading back over to the sixth year group. Daisy ran up to her halfway there, sweaty and proudly showing off the medal to her mum. Rose hugged her close as they made their way over to Beth.

“Yeah, we haven’t seen him since yesterday," their kids’ teacher was saying as Rose came up next to her. Both the Tyler-Hardy girls looked worriedly to Beth as she stood up.

“Daisy, have you seen Danny?” Beth asked.

Daisy shook her head slowly. “We ran on the beach yesterday, but then he headed home. I haven’t seen him since then.”

“Well he came home…” Beth mumbled, turning around to take in the children running around as Rose grabbed her hand comfortingly.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Rose said, and Beth nodded, pulling out her phone to see if she’d gotten anything from her son or anyone else. She walked off distractedly as she dialed Danny, and Rose turned to her daughter, pulling her camera off from around her shoulders. “Daisy, sweetie, I’m gonna put you in charge of the rest of the photos for the _Echo_ while I help out Beth, all right?”

Daisy nodded and took the camera easily. “Is Danny all right?” she asked worriedly, all the turmoil from Sandbrook coming back to her.

Rose’s eyes softened as she read her daughter’s expression. “I’m sure he’s fine," she repeated, and then kissed her daughter’s forehead before running to follow Beth. She grabbed her principal on the way to explain, who nodded worriedly and sent her on her way.

“Mark. It’s me. Ring me now,” Beth was saying as she ran her hands through her hair when Rose caught up with her. “He didn’t do his paper rounds this morning,” she told her as she hung up the phone.

Rose bit her lip, trying to hide her genuine fear now, and looked around, spotting Tom Miller, and pointing him out to Beth who immediately ran over to her boy’s best mate. “Tom! Tom!” they called together until he turned around. “Danny didn’t say he was going anywhere this morning, did he?” Beth panted. “It’s alright. He’s not in trouble.”

Tom shook his head, shrugging, and Beth sighed. “All right. It’s okay.” She said, more to herself than to the boy.

Ms. Kata came up to them again then. “Is there anything I can do?” she asked, but Beth shook her head.

“Just give me a call if he shows up, alright?” she said, and Ms. Kata nodded before returning to the kids she was meant to be looking after. Beth turned to Rose. “Can you stay with me? Are you busy? I know it’s awful to ask but-”

“Of course I can, Beth,” Rose cut off her apologies. “I already talked to my principal.”

Beth smiled at the woman who had so quickly become one of her closest friends in the last three weeks since she came to town. “Could you call your husband?” She asked, biting her lip. “I know it’s probably nothing and he’s probably busy-”

Rose held her hand up to stop her, already pulling her mobile out—to which Beth sighed gratefully. Rose bit her lip as the phone continued to ring on though and shook her head, pulling it away as Alec’s voicemail greeted her. “He’s not answering.” Beth’s eyes widened and Rose hastened to stop her. “Which isn’t unlike Alec. Once he’s started doing something he’s practically deaf.” Beth nodded, somewhat hesitantly, and Rose reached out to take her hand. “Come on, let’s go drive ‘round town. I’m sure he’s just ditching for the arcade or the beach.”

Beth nodded more reassuringly at that suggestion. “Yeah, yeah. He’d been real worried about the race,” she said, attempting to convince herself of that half truth as they started back towards the car park.

 

When the arcade turned up empty they made their way down the coastal road, Rose texting Alec discretely the whole way there. They hit parked traffic only a hundred yards before the beach, and both women stepped out of the car. Rose remembered that her husband had said he’d got a call from the coast guard, but didn't say it out loud for fear of making the worst come true.

Beth stopped at the open window of a car a few spaces down. “What’s going on?” she asked the woman.

She shook her head. “Someone said the police are at the beach. Might have found a body," she answered, unaware of the blood the simple words sent rushing to the women’s ears. Without another word they took off running towards the water.

 

“Oh God, don’t do this to me,” Alec begged at a whisper as he made his way across the beach to where a small body laid in the sand. He slowed as he came closer. It was a child.

The water roared in his ears as his heart rate slowed down and the world tilted sideways, going in and out of focus. How many times. How many times would he have to see the body of a dead child. He took deep breaths and made the remaining steps to the boy without falling.

He knelt down, and began preliminary observations with the one forensics officer on sight. Fifteen minutes later he heard a woman’s voice behind him. “Oh God, oh no no no,” she mumbled loudly as she approached.

Alec spun around at the unfamiliar voice. “Off the beach!” he yelled, getting the attention of the officer next to him. “Hey this area is off limits as of now—”

“No, I’m police," she interrupted him, handing him her wallet distractedly as she continued towards the boy. “Oh God, I know him. He lives here," she rambled while Alec looked at her credentials. “Oh he has tea at my house. He’s my boy’s best friend. Oh God, Beth. Does Beth know?”

“Calm down, DS Miller,” Alec interrupted her distressed ramble.

“No, you don’t understand! I know that boy!” she shouted.

“Shut it off. Be professional-” He spoke over her.

“Shut it off?” She yelled back incredulously.

“You’re working a case now,” he corrected her pointedly, and she sighed loudly. He held his hand out. “Alec Tyler-Hardy," he introduced himself.

“I know. You got my job." she replied miserably, only glancing away from Danny to look at him shortly. This man in an ill-fitting suit. Like he’d recently lost a great deal of weight and couldn’t be bothered to purchase a new wardrobe.

“Really? You wanna do this now?” he asked, raising his brows.

“You don’t even know who he is!” she accused him, flinging her arm out angrily.

Alec rolled his eyes at the assumption. “Yes I do. He’s my daughter’s friend, and my wife’s student. Who are both texting me like mad, by the way,” he informed her, holding his phone up for emphasis. Ellie sobered at the long list of unopened notifications in front of her. “He was over at my house last night,” he finished, putting his mobile back in his pocket without reading the new messages.

“How is that possible? You just got here. I don’t know you.”

Alec sighed deeply. “Trust me, I know. I live with two very _social_ women."

Ellie got from the tone that he was just the opposite. She sighed, mad at the amount of things that can happen in three weeks.

“Is this a suicide spot?” he asked, looking up to the cliffs.

“He wouldn’t do that.”

Alec sighed again. “Answer the question.”

She glared over at him. “No. There are others. There’s one three miles west, another further inland. He’s not that type of kid.”

“Find out where SOCO is. We have to move fast or that tide’ll be in.”

 

Beth beat Rose to the police tape and slipped under it before she could stop her. Rose paused for only a second before following suit, figuring she could apologise to her husband later. “Beth! Beth!” she called, and saw Alec turn around at her voice to spot Beth running towards them.

Rose caught up to her just as a detective sergeant whom she hadn’t met—but who was calling Beth by name—was trying to stop her from getting any closer. “Beth, Beth. You can’t be here.” 

Rose grabbed Beth by the waist and held her back before the uniformed officers could get hold of her. “Those are Danny’s trainers! Ellie, those are his trainers!” she screamed, struggling against Rose’s grip, but Rose glared at the cops as they tried to move forward to help her.

“Rose!” Alec yelled at her, but it was mostly pleading despite the stern tone. She didn’t say anything, but looked up to him apologetically, and allowed Ellie to help her hold Beth back from the small, sheet-covered body. The mother’s tragic wails for her boy filled Rose’s ears, tightening her chest and filling her eyes.

Rose looked back as Beth continued to struggle against her, falling to her knees in the sand, and met her husband’s eyes. _Not again,_ they said.

 

“Yeah,” Alec said, closing his eyes as his wife spoke into the phone at his ear. “Yeah,” he said again, nodding.

Next to him, Ellie spoke up for the fourth time since he’d answered the call. “How’s Beth? Ask her how Beth is,” she requested again, but Alec only rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, love you too," he said, and ended the call. Looking up to see his DS glaring at him. “Yeah, thanks. I know how Beth is doing. Not well. Rose is driving her home," he informed her shortly.

“Rose, she’s your wife then?” Ellie asked, trying to catch up on everything she’d missed.

Alec didn’t answer, however, choosing instead to start their walk along the police-lined cliff. “They let people walk along here?” he asked, eyeing the drop off. “No safety barriers?”

“It’s the coastal path, people know to be careful,” Ellie answered after a second of more glaring at him.

“It’s a death trap,” Alec mumbled, furrowing his brow as he looked around. Ellie didn’t feel the need to comment on that, but she did wonder distantly at his Scottish accent and Rose’s London one and they came to the forensics team. “How it going?” he asked, putting his hands on his hips.

“Well, from what we’ve got up here, sir, it’s looking like the rock fall around the body was faked.” The head SOCO, Brian Young, answered.

Ellie tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

He pointed out over the cliff’s edge for emphasis. “Well, the angle of the body was wrong—it was too arranged. And up here there’s no flattened grass or slippage, no loose rocks. No fibers, no hand marks, no sense of a downward trajectory…”

“You mean he didn’t fall?” Ellie clarified, and the forensics leader shook his head.

“Could he have jumped?” Alec asked, needing to cover all his bases.

“That’s unlikely, sir, given where he was found and the trajectory off the cliffs.” He answered easily.

“See? Not Danny.” Ellie mumbled, and Alec raised his brows at her.

“If you ask me,” Brian went on, “someone tried to make it look like an accident. I don’t think he was up here.”

Soon after that revelation, they were making their way back down the cliff with Ellie asking a slew of questions pertaining to his personal life, and him answering none of them. A young man in his early twenties came running up to them as they reached the bottom. “DS Miller!” he called.

“Who’s that?” Alec asked, squinting.

“Just keep walking,” Ellie said shortly, as Olly called her name.

“He seems to know you,” the DI observed, and Ellie rolled her eyes.

“Auntie Ellie!” Olly called, and Ellie sighed as Alec raised his brows at her again.

“I told you, don’t do that," she gritted out through her teeth, holding her finger up to him as she walked past.

He turned to the detective inspector though. “Olly Stevens, _Broadchurch Echo,_ ” he introduced himself, and Alec didn’t bother to stop the groan that came at that. “I was down at the other end. They said you’d be here,” Olly went on, unfazed as he followed them to the car. “Why’s the beach been closed?”

“No statements now,” Alec answered shortly, slamming the car door behind him as the young reporter continued to run around the car asking questions with no response.

 

Less than ten minutes later they were pulling up outside the Latimer house. “Sir, I can lead this with the family,” Ellie tried.

“No,” Alec answered quickly, unbuckling his seatbelt.

“I know them,” Ellie insisted.

Alec turned to her sternly. “How many deaths like this have you worked?”

“This is my first,” she answered, not seeing his point.

He shook his head. “You can’t make it better. Don’t try.”

“You don’t know how I work.” Ellie pulled her chin back defiantly.

Alec ignored her. “Most likely premise is abduction. If he was taken, who by? You watch them. Every movement. Anything that doesn’t make sense, you tell me,” he ordered.

Ellie wrinkled her nose at him and his curt tone. “Okay,” she said through her teeth, glaring again.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said shortly, opening the car door. Rose stepped out of the house as soon as he stood up. “You’re still here?” he asked her.

Rose didn’t flinch at the tone—used to her husband when he was working. “Was waiting until Mark and Chloe got here," she answered easily, walking over to him. Ellie waited for the question to come, but it never did. Instead Rose only nodded over to the police vehicle also parked in the drive. “Phil’s gonna give me a ride back to the school. But I’m just gonna check Daisy out and head home.”

Alec nodded. “Alright, that’s a good idea. I’ll be home late," he informed her, and Ellie raised her eyebrows at the softened voice. His wife leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek before joining the officer waiting for her.

“Why didn’t she ask?” Ellie said, looking up to him as they approached the door.

He sighed. “Because she wouldn’t.” He answered shortly. Ellie tilted her head as he knocked, thinking of her husband who had no qualms asking her to answer questions she couldn’t.

 

Rose sighed as they pulled up to the school. “Do you want me to wait here for you, ma’am?” Phil asked.

Rose shook her head. “No, no don’t want her getting even more suspicious.” She smirked, “She’s her father’s daughter.” Phil let out a little half-hearted chuckle at that, and Rose sighed. “Alright, thank you, Phil.” She said, picking up her bag and opening her door. He nodded politely to his boss’s wife, and Rose waved as he pulled away.

She pulled her phone out and sent a quick text to Daisy’s teacher before walking into the school, not bothering to go to the office as Ms. Kata replied that she’d send her daughter to her classroom.

She didn’t bother to turn on the lights, choosing instead to lean against her desk and squeeze her eyes shut against the tears threatening to spill over. “Mum? Is everything alright?” Daisy asked from the doorway, eyeing her suspiciously. “Did you find Danny? Is he alright?”

Rose bit her lip as she figured out how to answer her daughter without lying. “Beth met up with Mark, and I left them to it. They said they’d text me," she said eventually, not missing the way Daisy squinted at her. “Did you eat lunch?” she asked, redirecting the conversation.

Daisy shook her head and held up the camera Rose had already forgotten about. “Got loads of photos though. It just ended," she said, grinning proudly, and Rose couldn’t help the smile she gave her in return.

“Well, sounds like we should drop that card off to Maggie and grab a bite before we head home.”

Daisy tilted her head curiously, but didn’t argue—for which Rose was grateful.

 

The Chief Super studied him out of the corner of her eye as they made their way down the boardwalk with their 99s. “Given the nature of this case, it probably makes sense for you to hand it on to another lead officer," she said eventually.

“No,” Alec answered shortly, without hesitation.

“It has nothing to do with your ability," she went on.

“Yeah, because I solved Sandbrook," he interrupted her, and she rolled her eyes.

“Alec, you and your family came down here to get away from all that.”

“I came down here to do whatever the job requires," he shot back.

She was unaffected by his tone. “But in terms of public perception you may be vulnerable.” She sighed, and turned to him. “I’m giving you a chance to step back," she said, and Alec could see in her eyes that she was biting back the ‘ _for Rose._ ’ “Nobody would blame you.”

His jaw clenched. “This happened a stone’s throw from your station. I’ve met your team, no one’s as qualified as me. Sandbrook doesn’t make me vulnerable. It makes me the best man for the job.” He paused, looking around as he decided whether or not to go on. “As for Rose, because I know you’re dying to say it, she wouldn’t want me to step away from a case that needs me. _A family_ that needs me," he bit out, and Elaine pulled her chin back—unable to argue with that. “If you wanna stop me you’re welcome to try," he finished, vaguely threateningly, and held up the completely-untouched ice cream cone before walking away. “Thanks for the 99.”

 

“What did Jenkinson want?” Miller asked as they walked down the pier later that afternoon.

“Jenkinson?” he repeated, the name, like most names, not ringing a bell.

“The Chief Super, Elaine Jenkinson," she clarified, “I saw you walking with her.”

“No,” Alec said shortly, not denying it, but rather saying he wouldn’t answer.

“I did. You were having 99s.” She argued, misinterpreting his negative.

He plowed on though. “Miller, your son went to school with Danny; Does he know yet?”

Ellie shook her head, not understanding the non sequitur, but getting distracted by it nonetheless. “No. Does your daughter?” she asked, again misinterpreting his purpose in asking.

He, predictably, didn’t answer the question. “I’ll need to talk to him,” he informed her, hands still casually in his pockets as they walked.

She looked at him sideways. “Tomorrow. I’ll tell him tonight," she took a deep breath. “And sir, do you mind not calling me 'Miller'?”

He looked at her incredulously. “Why?”

“I don’t really like the surname thing," she told him honestly, having grown up in a town where impersonal things like that were a moot point. “I prefer Ellie.”

He looked up as he processed that. “Ellie… Ellie…” He mumbled, trying the name out on his tongue. He wrinkled his nose and shook his head though. “No.”

 

Later, after they’d spoken to Jack Marshall, gotten the autopsy report (strangulation, no signs of sexual violence) and once again gone through the heartache of telling the family Danny’s death is suspicious, Alec looked down at his phone to see an hours-old text from Rose with a screenshot from the _Broadchurch Echo_ Twitter page. They’d speculated, and released Daniel Latimer’s name.

“OH FOR GOD’S SAKE!” he yelled, slamming back his office door. “Bloody Twitter!” he spit out, circling the desks of his officers as silence fell. “These people’s lives have been _destroyed_ , and now our incompetence has made it worse!” He glared around at all of them. “Think what we have to do now to rebuild trust there!” His hands went to his hips. “Who told the journalist?” he demanded angrily.

There was a moment’s pause and an eerie silence, before finally Ellie’s hand raised slowly. “I think it might have been me." she said quietly, standing up.

Alec turned to face her slowly, every form of condemnation and disappointment showing through his eyes as he took her in. “Your nephew?”

“He’d seen Danny’s sister leaving something at the beach." she answered quickly. “I didn’t tell him anything. I told him _not_ to publish. He’s a little shit.” She looked up at him as he shook his head deploringly. “I’ll read him the riot act, and I’ll explain to the family.”

He just shook his head further. “Go away," he mumbled, and turned back to his office, slamming the door closed behind him.

 

Rose got the text at five to keep Daisy away from the telly as he had to make a statement about Danny to the media. She sent back her understanding quickly, and looked out the window to see Daisy sitting on the back ledge overlooking the water. They could see the forensics tent from here. Rose sighed, and pulled her knees up to her chest. She asked Alec when he’d be home, and sighed in relief when he wrote back ‘an hour.’ Daisy wouldn’t wait much longer than that to start asking questions again.

 

Maggie chased him down as he was making his way down High Street and he sighed. He knew he should have got a cab. He turned around slowly to see the woman approaching with Olly in tow and he groaned inwardly. A short moment passed before anyone spoke after they stopped, Alec refusing to say the first words.

“Well, go on,” Maggie said eventually, nodding to Olly.

The boy let out a long breath. “I was uh—I was wrong to post that news. I’m sorry," he apologised, eyes flickering between Alec’s chest and his own shoes.

Maggie shook her head. “I should hang him by the bollocks from the town hall spire,” she gritted out, and Olly’s eyes widened at his boss and mentor. She looked to Alec meaningfully. “ _All_ reporting on this will come through me now. The _Echo_ works with the police. And I’ll speak to the Latimer family, give them our apologies.”

Alec glanced at her tiredly, not feeling the need to respond to any of that. He glared at Olly though. “Stay out of my way,” he warned him, and the boy nodded, swallowing hard. Alec turned back around to start towards his house, wanting nothing more than to see his wife and daughter after this terrible day.

 

Daisy ran into his arms as he came round the side of the house. “Hey, sweetheart," he said into her hair, and looked up to see Rose come out the door. He extended his arm to her and she came to him gratefully, wrapping one arm around his waist and the other falling to where their daughter was still pressed against him.

Daisy looked up to him, and her eyes flicked to the tent in the distance. “It was Danny wasn’t it?” she asked finally, turning so that she was looking at the beach, her parents hands falling to her shoulders.

Alec let out a long breath. “Yeah, sweetheart. It was Danny,” he answered, and beside him Rose released the breath she’d been holding, and tucked her head into his shoulder

Tears fell down Daisy’s cheeks without her permission as she turned to look at her parents. “Why does this keep happening?” she said around a sob, and her parents pulled her into another hug at that.

“I don’t know,” Alec whispered into her hair, placing a kiss there. “I don’t know.”

 

An hour later, after Daisy had turned in early, Rose and Alec were sat together on the couch, not saying or doing anything but appreciating each other’s company. Finally though Alec let out a long breath. “I have to go to the media briefing,” he said, and Rose nodded into his chest, but made no move to let him go. He let a few more minutes tick by. “Listen, love, if you don’t want—” He started.

Rose shook her head vehemently before he could finish. “No, I want you to take this case. You need to take this case.” She said, even as fresh tears came to her face. Alec wasn’t surprised at that, his perfect unselfish Rose, but his chest still tightened. She placed a hand to his heart. “Just take care of yourself, yeah? I can’t lose you.”

He pulled her back to him at that and kissed the top of her head. “Never. You’ll never lose me, Rose,” he told her fiercely, and as more sobs wracked his wife’s body, he finally allowed himself to shed a few tears.

Minutes or centuries later Rose was adjusting his tie. She’d made him change into a different suit before he left, and now she patted the navy tie appreciatively. “Give Ellie my number, yeah?” she said.

Alec tilted his head and stared down at her questioningly.

“Your DS," she clarified exasperatedly, figuring he wouldn’t know her name.

Alec shook his head though. “No, yeah, no, I know. I’m wondering why I would do that.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Our kids go to school together. I’m Tom’s teacher. Tom was Danny’s best friend. She and her husband are friends with the Latimer’s.” She named the top four reasons.

Alec only shook his head in further confusion though. “You’re just giving me facts, love.”

Rose snorted and leaned up to kiss her adorably socially-inept husband. “Just do as I say, dear.” 

He sighed and grabbed his coat, shoving it on quickly. “Your wish is my command," he quipped, delighting in the tongue-touched smile she gave him in return. Outside, the cab’s horn beeped, and Rose kissed him quickly once more before sending him out the door.

 

Alec had the cab stop by the station on the way to the school, and he ran in to grab the files from his desk, but was surprised to see DS Miller at her own, clearly still working despite being out of her work clothes. “Different suit?” she commented as he came in.

He threw a glance over his shoulder. “Press conference in ten minutes.”

Ellie nodded, deciding not to ask why she wasn’t told to come. He was halfway back out of the room when she remembered she did need to speak though. “Look at this,” she said, pointing to her computer, “CCTV from town center last night.”

He stopped and walked around to lean over her shoulder. “Is that Danny?” he asked quietly, as a young boy went skateboarding down the middle of High Street.

“It matches his clothes and his height,” Ellie answered. “And that looks like his skateboard… He wasn’t abducted.”

“He snuck out,” Alec realised. “Why? Where was he going? Who was he meeting?” he let out the string of questions that realisation raised.

“And where’s his skateboard,” Ellie added, and Alec raised his brows, quietly adding confirmation. A few seconds passed as they continued to watch the footage. “Oh and another thing,” Ellie said, straightening up. “I was checking through the list of belongings recovered from Danny’s body and at home, and there’s no mobile phone.”

Alec squinted at that. “He definitely had one. Daisy had his number," he mumbled, and then sighed as that thought reminded him what Rose had asked him to do. He grabbed the pen and notepad from Ellie’s desk. “My wife asked me to give you her number. Don’t ask me why. I have no idea why that woman tells me to do half the things she does. Especially when it comes to—” he cut himself off as he realised he was rambling—as thoughts of Rose often made him do. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ellie smirking at him, and he cleared his throat, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly as he pulled back from scribbling down the number he knew by heart.

Ellie smiled down at the paper. “Rose Tyler? You took her last name?” she asked. She’d assumed Tyler was a middle name and he was one of those pompous asshats that went by all three of their names.

Alec cleared his throat uncomfortably again and Ellie grinned up at him, delighting in making him squirm. “Yes, well she’s Rose Tyler-Hardy technically. We took each others names. I don’t normally put the abbreviation on hers cos to me she’s just—” He cut himself off again as he realised he was giving personal information _again_. He pointed to the computer monitor as he picked up his file. “Right—check with the family," he ordered, and started walking away, rigid demeanor back in place again.

He paused just before leaving, however. “Good work,” he threw over his shoulder, and Ellie straightened up, wide-eyed as she took in the compliment from him.

She grinned, and took out her phone to send a quick thank you to Rose.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Comments keep writers writing ❤︎**


	2. Episode II

_[Saturday, 20th of July]_

“Yeah, she said she wanted to stay home, but I’ve got to go into school and get the work done I hadn’t yesterday. I didn’t want to leave her there alone,” Rose was saying through the phone as Alec approached the steps to the station that morning. “Paul said she was welcome to hang out in my Sunday school classroom while we’re at work.”

“Paul?” Alec asked, furrowing his brow. “Who’s Paul?”

He could feel Rose rolling her eyes on the other end of the line. “The vicar," she said dryly. “You’ve only seen him every Wednesday and Sunday for the past three weeks, love.”

Alec cleared his throat awkwardly at forgetting the priest's name, and he heard Daisy’s giggle on the other end of the line. Apparently, Rose had him on speaker. “Oi! You two quit your laughing at my expense!” he joked, laughing himself a bit.

“Love you, Dad!” Daisy called over what was likely the center console of Rose’s car. He could tell she was smiling, but heard the sadness behind it as well.

“Love you too, Dais," he told her as he climbed the stairs, heart clenching for her. “Love you, Rose," he added, but more distantly as he saw the reporter leaning against the balustrade.

“Yeah, love you too. Be careful,” Rose said quickly, and it was likely she could tell he was at work.

He hummed distractedly. “Yeah, you too love.” He ended the call just as the woman came up to him.

“DI Tyler-Hardy,” she said by way of greeting. “Karen White, _Daily Herald,_ " she introduced herself, matching her strides with his.

He sighed. “I know. You came to the briefing last night," he said shortly. The two sentences weren’t connected, but neither were lies.

“I just wondered if I could buy you a cup of tea.” She not so subtly hedged for an interview.

He stopped to turn to her angrily. The lengths that journalists are willing to go to get _gossip_ about a _child’s murder_ were despicable.  “You’re astonishing,” he bit out, not kindly, and turned on his heel to walk through the station doors without hearing whatever she said back.

The phones at the front counter were ringing off the hook, and an officer stopped him as he pressed the lift button. “Oh, sir. These are for you,” the copper said gruffly, handing him a stack of notes. “You need to get yourself sorted up there. It’s Saturday, the phone lines can’t cope.” He grumbled as he picked up another ringing phone.

Upstairs, furniture was being moved around to make room for the phone company when the elevators slid open. Ellie greeted him as he rounded the corner. “Morning, got you a coffee!” she greeted brightly, holding out the paper cup.

He glanced over to her as he walked past. “I don’t drink coffee," he said shortly,  and walked into his office, distractedly flipping through the phone messages.

“Course you don’t,” Ellie mumbled, the cheeriness she had managed to gather that morning already slipping away. “Frank said you were out on the cliffs," she prompted, following him into the office.

“I walked Danny’s paper route,” he answered quickly, leaning against his desk. “There’s a hut on Briar Cliff. Mile and a half along the coast from where Danny’s body was found. Find out who owns it," he ordered, “And the carpark below it- check the CCTV from the camera there.” He paused and looked down to read another message. “How are we doing on the house to house?”

Ellie sighed. “We’ve got five uniform allocated. Two probationers—one who can’t drive, one who’s never taken a statement before last night.”

Alec stared at her incredulously. “That’s all they’ve given us?”

She nodded. “It’s a Summer weekend. You’ve got three music festivals and two sporting events within 100 miles, so all the officers are attached to them until Monday.”

Alec shook his head in frustration. “Don’t tell the family.” He stood up, handing her the stack of messages. “Uniform are moaning they’re having to take calls," he told her, and Ellie nodded, already having gotten that complaint herself this morning.

She pointed over to where men from the phone company were already starting work. “We’re getting more phone lines put in.”

Alec squinted at the civilians. “Clear desk policy end of the day, yeah?” he said gruffly, walking past her.

Ellie rolled her eyes and followed him over to the whiteboard, filling him in on the progress from SOCO, but a few moments passed without answer after she finished as he stared at the board, hands shoved into his pockets. “Sorry, sir, are you listening?” She said, tilting her head down to try and catch his eye.

Alec finally breathed deeply and looked up to her. “Danny’s skateboard. Danny’s mobile. Priority.” He said. “Also, main suspects. You know this town, who’s the most likely?” He turned to the map and didn’t see Ellie pull her chin back at that. “If the boy was killed before he was left on the beach where’s the murder scene?” He scanned the map for a second and then turned back to her. “What are you doing now?” he asked her, squinting.

Ellie blinked at his quick succession of thoughts, processing it all before she could answer. “Um we’ve managed to find a Family Liaison Officer, I’m gonna take him over to the Latimers. Oh—” She cut herself off as she remembered the call from earlier. “Jack Marshall, owns the paper shop, rang in.” She pulled the sticky-note from the binder to hand to him. “Said he remembered something.”

Alec took it from her swiftly and pivoted away, taking long strides out the door without another word.

 

An hour later, after Jack Marshall had told him about an argument he’d seen Danny having with a postman, Ellie called. They’d found a roll of 500 pounds in Danny’s room, and a wrap of cocaine in Chloe’s—who claimed Becca Fisher from Traders Hotel gave it to her. They agreed to meet outside of there before questioning her. Becca said it had nothing to do with Danny however, and they told her to come down to the station later to make a formal statement.

“Cocaine, though.” Ellie was saying as Alec fixed himself a cup of tea. “It must be a one-off- they’re not that type of family. Chloe’s not that type of girl.”

Alec shrugged noncommittally. “No one ever is.”

“No, I live here. We don’t have these problems.” Ellie insisted. “Couple of arrests for possession on the estate every month but no more than that.” Alec turned to lean against the counter as he finished making his tea, and Ellie looked him up and down. “Are you just making one for yourself?” She asked, clearly offended, and Alec tried very hard to hide how surprised and uncomfortable it made him to realise he’d messed up a social custom. He looked down to his tea awkwardly as Ellie was called away.

The drink went in and out of focus though as his ears starting ringing. His fist tightened and his breathing grew heavier. The world tilted, and before he knew it he was flying into the bathroom, leaning heavily against the counter as he panted, and dug around in his pocket for his medicine.

 

A half hour later they were walking away from their talk with the postman. “Don’t say that.” Alec said gruffly, glancing over to her.

“Don’t say what?” Ellie asked, furrowing her brow.

“Not to worry. Let them talk.” He said, and he really honestly didn’t mean anything other than that.

Didn’t stop Ellie from getting offended though. “Listen, can I just say you can’t just rock up here and try to _mold me,_ okay? I know what I’m doing. And I know how to handle people.” She bit out. “And you can keep your broody bullshit schtick to yourself.”

Alec didn’t answer that, genuinely having no idea how to respond, and he kept his expression blank as he got in her car. Ellie huffed as she pulled out her phone.

 **-Your husband is insufferable.** She sent to Rose- who’d she’d been texting back and forth since he’d given her her number the day before.

Rose answered back surprisingly quickly. **-Ha! You’ll get used to it. I promise. He’s not actually an arse- just socially inept.**

Ellie smiled at how Rose didn’t even _question_ what made her send that, and chuckled at Rose’s assessment of her husband. “What? What’s funny?” Alec asked from beside her.

Ellie only rolled her eyes and put her phone down though, shifting the car into gear without a word.

 

Beth paced her bathroom as all her nerves and stress and emotions rattled through her body. She pulled out her phone to text Rose when she saw it was three o’clock.

**-Can you meet me somewhere?**

Rose answered back before Beth could count fifteen seconds. **-Of course, dear. Just say where.**

Beth thanked her silently for not asking if everything was alright. **-I need chips.** She sent back, thinking of how her and Rose had met in the first place. **-Chippie in 15?**

 **-Chippie in 15** Rose confirmed.

 

Rose sighed, and sent a quick message to Paul, asking if he could bring Daisy into town at five.

 **-Sure, no problem. Is everything alright?** He replied as Rose was getting into her car. Rose smirked and sent back a positive, omitting details, and pulled out of the car park.

Once there Rose ordered their food quickly and found a table right in the back, situated partly behind a bookcase- keeping them out of sight from anyone who wasn’t looking. Beth smiled gratefully when she spotted her and Rose breathed a sigh of relief.

“Needed out of the house?” Rose asked sympathetically as her friend sat down.

Beth looked down at her hands. “I feel like I’m suffocating in there.”

Rose nodded and held her hand out across the table, Beth took it easily. “We don’t have to talk.” Rose assured her, meaning about Danny, but also just in general- Rose was willing to sit there in silence for the next three hours if that’s what Beth needed.

Beth squeezed Rose’s hand and Rose saw she was fighting back tears. A few moments passed before she looked up to meet her friend’s eyes. “Rose, I’m pregnant.” She whispered.

 

Alec scrubbed his hand down his face, looking up from his notes for the first time in an hour, and pulled his mobile out. Daisy had texted him.

 **-You’re gonna have to question me, aren’t you.** She’d sent, and it obviously wasn’t a question.

Alec sighed. **-Yeah, I’m sorry sweetheart. Soon as you can.**

Daisy answered quickly despite Alec having taken a few hours. **-Can you be with me?**

Alec groaned. It figured that _his_ daughter would be the last known non-relative to have seen Danny Latimer alive. **-I can’t, Dais. But Mum can be.**

To Daisy’s credit, she didn’t complain or question it despite probably wanting to. **-Okay.**

Alec sighed and tossed the phone back down, letting his face fall into his hands.

 

They found a secluded place on the pier, overlooking the water, but where the tent wasn’t visible. Rose looked over to Beth as the wind pushed their hair around. It was obvious that Beth didn’t want to talk about the pregnancy, she just wanted someone else to know- someone else to help her carry that around. She reached out and took her hand again comfortingly.

“Does Daisy know?” Beth asked eventually.

Rose nodded. “She’s really worried about you and Chlo. Asked if she could go hug you.”

Beth let out a little half-hearted chuckle at that. A moment passed before she let out a shuddering breath, and leaned down to rest her head on Rose’s shoulder. “Did Alec tell you we made a list?” She mumbled.

Rose shook her head. “Alec doesn’t tell me anything about cases.” She answered, furrowing her brow. Beth knew that. “What sort of list?”

Beth stared unseeingly out onto the water as she answered. “List of people we think could have done it.”

Rose closed her eyes at that and pulled Beth closer. “I’m sure he’s got it pinned to the board.” She told her truthfully. She looked up to see Paul and Daisy standing a distance away. They hadn’t spotted them yet. Rose let another few minutes of silence pass before she spoke again. “Paul’s just brought my kid ‘round,” she sighed as Beth pulled away to look at her. “I don’t have to go. I’ll sit here all night if you need me to.”

Beth halfway smiled at that, and wiped away a stray tear. “No, I’d like to see Daisy. Maybe get that hug- if she’s still offering.” Rose smiled and nodded, standing up to help Beth to her feet as she waved to her daughter and the vicar.

When Daisy spotted Beth she pulled away from Paul immediately, taking off at a sprint towards the women. The little girl flinging herself into Beth’s arms. Neither one of them said anything, but silent tears streamed down their cheeks as Beth tucked her face into Daisy’s hair.

Paul came running up, panting, as they pulled away. “Sorry- sorry. She just took off.”

Beth chuckled, wiping her face, and reached out to run her hand through Daisy’s hair. “She can just spot a girl in need of a hug, can’t you Dais?”

Rose’s heart broke as her daughter let out a broken laugh, using the back of her hand to dry her face as she nodded. Daisy fell into her mum’s side, using her shirt as a tissue. “Want us to walk you home?” Rose asked, as she rubbed Daisy’s shoulder with one hand and Beth’s with the other.

Beth shook her head quickly. “No, no. I’ll be fine.” She said, and Rose could tell that she really did just want to be alone now.

She nodded and pulled Beth into another hug. “You call me if you need me.” She whispered, and Beth let out another shuddering breath as she nodded in understanding.

Rose patted Paul’s arm as they left, and he turned to Beth as she looked out over the water.  “You can come see me. If you need to talk.” He said, after a few moments of silence passed.

Beth had her arms wrapped around herself. “I don’t know if I believe in God.” She said honestly. If you’d asked a few days ago then she probably would have shrugged and nodded but- not now. Not after this.

To her surprise Paul only let out a soft chuckle. “It’s not compulsory.” He assured her, and she nodded minutely with a small smirk. Paul let out a long breath. “I’ve been praying for you ever since I heard.” He told her. “For Danny, too.”

And even though Beth didn’t think she believed in God or prayers now, she knew that meant something coming from Paul, and her heart warmed at least a little. She nodded gratefully, and Paul put a hand to her shoulder in farewell- seeing that she needed to be alone.

 

Alec was leant against his filing cabinets, sorting through papers, when Ellie walked in and plopped paper-wrapped food on his keyboard. “What’s that?” He asked, eyeing it suspiciously.

“Thai was closed, chippie was the only place open.” She answered as she sat down on the couch.

Alec curled his lip. “I can’t eat that.” He said, staring at greased-stained paper.

Ellie raised her eyebrows. “You don’t eat fish and chips? What kind of a Scot are you?”

He walked forward and dropped the file on the desk, removing his glasses as he sat down. He unwrapped it with a grimace that Ellie rolled her eyes at. “It’s all there is. Eat, or be hungry.” She said, feeling as though she were talking to Tom.

Alec eyed the greasy food with disdain, thinking only that Rose would kill him if he ate it, and sat back with a regretful sigh as he realised he _was_ quite hungry. As if reading his thoughts though, his mobile vibrated with a text from Rose.

 **-Have you eaten?** She asked, of course checking in to make sure he’s taking care of himself.

 **-No, chippie is the only place open. Figured you’d have my arse if I ate it.** He typed back quickly, aware that Miller was watching him.

Rose’s message came back so quickly he’d have thought she was typing it before he answered. **-Mm you figured right. I left trail mix in your bottom desk drawer last time I was there. ❤︎**

Alec let a little smirk grace his lips as he shook his head and leant down to the drawer she’d said. And of course, right behind all the files was a box of at least two dozen individually bagged servings of Rose’s heart-healthy trail mix.

He pulled one out, starting in on the mix of pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and dark chocolate- resolutely ignoring the look his DS was giving him. “Postman’s alibi confirmed. Three times. He was with his mates all night, the night Danny was killed.” He started.

Ellie looked up from her own food. “Jack Marshall got it wrong then?”

He leaned back with a long sigh. “Do we have any reason to disbelieve the postman? How’s Marshall’s eyesight? Does he have any reason to lie?” He paused for half a second and Ellie opened her mouth to answer, but he went on before she could. “And do we think that the money and the drugs found at the house are connected? Is that cash for the supply of cocaine?”

“Alright,” Ellie cut him off before he could continue. “You do know you do this incessant list question thing?” She paused to chew. “Bam-bam-bam-bam- so no one has a chance to chance to reply. It’s like you really enjoy it.” She told him.

“Do I?” Alec asked, furrowing his brow.

Ellie nodded shortly. “Yeah. Can I eat my dinner please?”

Alec watched her for a second, analysing himself silently and chewing on some nuts before he spoke again. Rose would tell him to make conversation now. “First murder, how you finding it?” He asked, and then mentally kicked himself at the stupid question, even while he kept his face passive.

Ellie looked down. “Grim,” she answered truthfully.

He nodded, digging out a piece of chocolate. “What did you make of Mark and Beth’s list?”

“Heartbreaking.” She said, again honestly. “Some of their best friends. Danny’s teachers, babysitters, neighbors… They’re traumatized. Not thinking straight.”

Alec tilted his head. “Or smart. We never asked for a list.” He observed emotionlessly around a mouthful of trail mix. “Or maybe they’re trying to direct where we look- taking focus away from their household.”

Ellie stared at him incredulously, disgusted with the suggestion. “They didn’t kill Danny.”

Alec shook his head. “You have to learn not to trust.” He told her.

Ellie raised her eyebrows at that. “Oh, I do? Right. _That’s_ what you’ve been sent here to teach me. The benefit of your experience. Brilliant.” She said sarcastically.

“You have to look at your community from the outside now.” He said flatly.

“I can’t be outside of it.” Ellie argued. “And I don’t want to be.”

“If you can’t be objective you’re not the right fit.” Alec shot back dryly.

Ellie scoffed. “No, I am the right fit. It’s you who’s not the right fit! Swanning in here, taking promotions meant for other people, not being able to accept a cup of coffee or a bloody bag of chips without a great big sigh.” She stopped herself before she could go on.

Alec kept his face carefully unaffected as he stared at her through the impending silence, refusing to dignify any of that with a response. He clenched his jaw and tilted his chin down boredly.

Ellie swallowed at that look. “Sorry. Sir.”

Alec just shook his head, unbothered by the outburst- it wasn’t anything he hadn’t been told before. “You need to understand, Miller. Anybody’s capable of this murder. Given the right circumstances.”

Ellie still wouldn’t let go of her ideals though. “Most people have a moral compass.” She argued.

“Compasses break.” Alec threw back easily, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs. “And murder gnaws at the soul. Whoever did it will reveal themselves sooner or later. No killer behaves normally over time.” Ellie looked up at that. “You know what people are like here ordinarily-” he went on, pointing at her. “Look for the out-of-the-ordinary. Follow your instincts.”

“My instincts tell me that the Latimers did not kill their son.” Ellie answered dryly and Alec sighed.

 

He didn’t get home until eleven that night but Rose was up, waiting for him on the couch when he walked through the door. “You should be in bed.” He said by way of greeting as he shrugged out of his coat and jacket.

“Mm can’t sleep without you.” Rose answered easily, sitting up as he joined her. “How was your day?”

He knew she wasn’t asking about the case, but rather his health. “Oh… I had some mild… heart palpitations.” He mumbled, knowing he would never lie to her, even as he really didn’t want to tell her.

Rose sat back immediately “Alec!”

“I didn’t pass out! And look, I’m here. I’m fine.” He leaned forward and took Rose’s hand in his, placing it to his still-beating heart. “See?”

Rose’s shoulders slumped and she fell into his arms, placing her ear against his chest. She closed her eyes and sat silently with him for a few minutes before speaking again. “Will you please turn the reminders on your phone back on?”

He let out a long breath, fighting against the urge to argue that he wasn’t a child. Clearly, he had no evidence to prove that. “Yeah.” He relented, wrapping his arm tighter around her and placing a kiss to the top of her head.

Rose buried her face in his shirt and breathed deeply. “Thank you.”

 

 

_[Sunday, 21st of July]_

Ellie stopped in for a coffee on her way to work Sunday morning. Alec had already texted her saying he’d be in after church, and she blinked down at the message. She hadn’t taken the DI for a religious man. She leaned against the counter as she waited on her drink in the mostly empty shop, and looked up to see Becca coming up beside her.

“Hey, Ellie.” She greeted warmly as she grabbed some napkins. “You on call today?” She asked, already knowing the obvious answer even before Ellie nodded.  “How you liking your new boss? DI Alec Tyler-Hardy.” Her eyes glimmered a bit cheekily as her tongue clicked around the name.

Ellie sighed and rolled her eyes at that, turning so that she was facing the woman. “Becca, you’ve been here since they moved in. What do you think of them? Because I can’t figure it out.”

Becca grinned and leaned against the counter, settling in to fill Ellie in on the gossip. “Well, first thing you need to know is him and Rose are the best evidence there is for soul mates.”

Ellie raised her brows at that. “Your joking.”

Becca shook her head, smirking. “No, you’d think right? Next time you see them both together though- look at the way he’s looking at her. You’d think the sun shone out her ass.” Becca rolled her eyes and Ellie grimaced, not sure how she felt about Becca’s tone in reference to the woman who had thus far been incredibly kind. Becca sighed and went on. “Rose is the art teacher for the primary school, and she teaches a Sunday school class. They go to church together _every_ Sunday, with their daughter- her name is Daisy- can you believe that? _Rose and Daisy._ How disgustingly cute is that? They’d be cookie-cutter if it wasn’t for Detective Inspector Grumpy-Face.”

Ellie chuckled. “Yeah _that’s_ what I don’t get. Rose seems so nice. How an Earth did she end up with _Alec Tyler-Hardy?_ I mean, is he holding her family hostage?”

The blonde snorted at that. “Apparently he’s a completely different bloke around her and their daughter.”

“What, like he’s capable of smiling?” Ellie joked.

Becca nodded vehemently though. “Yeah, actually. I’ve _seen_ it. Bright as the sun.”

Ellie's eyes widened comically at that. “No!” She exclaimed, as Becca continued to nod knowingly.

 

Rose clicked open her phone to see her lock-screen. A picture of Alec, grinning brightly down at a newborn Daisy. He had bags under his eyes, and his shirt was dirty, but still he looked like the proudest, happiest bloke in the whole world with his sleeping baby in his arms.

Alec looked over her shoulder to see that she’d changed it from the three of them on the beach back to that one and groaned. “If anyone in this bloody gossiping town ever sees that photo, Rose Tyler, I’ll have your head.” He threatened her, but Rose only grinned up at him, leaning forward to place a kiss to his lips. He grumbled as his cheeks tinted pink and Rose giggled.

Behind them Daisy wrinkled her nose. “Mum! Dad!” She complained, and they chuckled as she raised the fork in her hand significantly- indicating the pancakes still on the stove.

“If you go get ready for church breakfast will be done when you get back.” Alec told her, flipping the bacon as he spoke. He heard his daughter grumble behind him. “Time will only go slower with you sitting there.” He went on, and Daisy moaned some more, but he heard her chair scrape across the floor seconds later as she went to get dressed.

Alec wasn’t all that sure he was religious. He didn’t _not_ believe in God. He just believed in a lot of other things _more._ Like the justice system, and his wife.

Which is why he went to church- for Rose. Rose hadn’t been raised religious, but she discovered how much she enjoyed it shortly after they met while they still lived in London. Alec found his way through Rose, and Rose found hers through God. He wouldn’t begrudge anything that made her happy.

They filed in amongst the first that morning, taking the front row (much to Alec’s disdain- but it made it easier when Rose had to gather the children for Sunday school halfway through). The vicar smiled down at them politely and Rose grinned while Alec nodded curtly, trying to remember his name again. He looked around and was surprised to see _more than_ twenty other people- something more like sixty. “Christ…” He muttered ironically, earning a slap to the arm from Rose. “I’m sorry, but-” he nodded to the quickly filling pews. “Is that what it takes to get people to come to church? A murder?”

Rose looked around a smirked. “I may have put an ad in the paper Wednesday.” She whispered. “Going to do arts and crafts with the kids.” She said, patting her bag. “And Maggie said she’d put the photos in the paper next week.”

Alec raised his eyebrow at his wife. “You’re bribing people to come to church now?”

Rose made an indignant sound in the back of her throat. “It’s not bribing it’s… creative persuasion.”

Alec grunted. “Sounds like bribery to me.” He said dryly, looking around to realize that yeah- most of the newcomers were parents with young kids. Rose rolled her eyes and tugged on the arm around her shoulders, getting him to turn around as the vicar stood to begin the service.

“I know we’re all struggling to understand what’s happened over the last few days.” He began, as the choir filed out after morning rituals. “And it’s at times like this that we- question our faith.” He paused, and looked around the room meaningfully. “Why would a benevolent God allow this to happen? Have we been abandoned?”

Alec couldn’t help himself. As Reverend Paul continued on with the sermon, he looked around the room. Examining the faces of everyone he saw, looking for guilt. There were the usual people there, including Beth Latimer’s mum, Mrs. Roper, but no sign of any of the rest of Danny’s family. He was surprised to spot Susan Wright -the rude, and quite frankly, suspicious, cleaning lady for the hut on Briar Cliff- sitting in one of the farthest back pews, staring out the high stained-glass windows rather than at the vicar.

His examination was cut short though as between him and Rose, Daisy elbowed him in the ribs- her head bent in prayer, and he sheepishly turned back around to join them.

When the choir stood and the organist began playing the opening notes to “All Ye Little Children” Rose stood as well, gathering all the little kids around her as they tottered their way up the aisle, the older ones sticking to the back to help Rose and the other teachers herd them through the doors.

Alec nudged Daisy when she didn’t move. “You’re not going with your mum?” He asked, frowning and glancing to Rose who shrugged.

Daisy shook her head, resolutely not looking over to her church-friends, as she tucked herself more firmly into his side. Alec sighed and looked back up to Rose, nodding reassuringly for her to go on. Rose bit her lip worriedly before she disappeared through the doors.

After the service Alec guided Daisy through the crowd of people onto the lawn near the doors Rose would exit out of once all the children in her care had been collected. “Want to tell me why you didn’t want to go to Sunday school today?” He asked her with a significant look.

Daisy sighed and looked up to him sadly. “They were just going to ask me about what happened to Danny.”

“Your friends?” Alec asked, tilting his head. “Why would they do that?”

Daisy rolled her eyes at her father’s cluelessness. “Because Danny was my friend and you’re the cop on the telly talking about it.” She explained exasperatedly. “And they’ll just get mad and say I’m lying when I tell them I don’t know anything.”

Alec’s chest tightened at that. “Oh, sweetheart,” he mumbled, pulling her closer. “I’m sorry.”

She sniffed into her dad’s shirt. “It’s okay. Not your fault.” She said, like he’d believe her.

Even as he felt terrible though, he worried that Daisy would never be ready to give a statement for them.

 

“Miller!” Alec called Ellie into his office later that morning.

“What is it?” She asked, walking around his desk to look at his computer.

“CCTV from the car park below the hut.” He answered quickly, pressing play. “Mark Latimer.” He said, indicating the man leaning against his car.

“When is this?” Ellie asked as she studied the video.

“The night Danny snuck out his bedroom.” He told her.

Ellie let out a small noise at that. “He said he was out on a call! What’s he doing?”

Alec swallowed as he took in the man’s posture. “Waiting for someone.” He answered matter of factly.

Ellie squinted at him. “How do you know?”

He shook his head. “I don’t, but I bet I’m right.” He said confidently, and then the footage cut to static. “The tape’s run out. Is there another one?” He asked, moving the mouse around to see if he could find anything more.

Ellie rustled through the bag he’d glanced at. “No, apparently they just use the one tape and re-record over it to save money.” She sighed, tossing the bag down.

“Bollocks!” Alec let out, hitting replay on the little bit of film they had. There was a knock on the door though, and they both looked up to see the phone company guy standing awkwardly in the doorway.

Ellie straightened up as Alec looked back down disinterestedly. “Are you done?” She asked the man.

“No, no, it’s not that.” He said, glancing around. “It’s Danny Latimer you’re doing isn’t it?” He asked.

Alec’s head snapped back up as Ellie asked “Why?”

“It’s something to do with water.” The man told them.

“What are you saying?” Alec demanded.

The man’s eyes flickered between the two detectives. “I’ve been told- it’s something to do with water.”

“Told by who?” Ellie asked, studying him.

The man began stammering at that. “I-I- I have this- this thing- see. I um- I get messages.” They just stared at him incredulously. “Psychic messages.” He clarified.

“Oh for God’s sake, who let you in?” Alec let out angrily as Ellie moved forward to see him out the door.

“No, no, no, no, no- the thing about the water- that’s important!” The man argued as Ellie tried to shut the door on him. “Don’t just ignore that!”

“Oh come on, I want to get you out!” She yelled over him, but he spoke over her, still stuttering.

“It’s- It’s It’s something  that I- I have to tell you…” He drifted off and the detectives continued to stare at him. “It’s like he was in a boat. Like was put in a boat… Yeah, yeah.” He shrugged. “I- I don’t know why-”

“And who told you this?” Alec asked loudly, cutting off the stammering. “Where’d you get this from?” He demanded.

The man paused, looking between them. “Danny” he said, and Alec and Ellie looked at each other, shaking their heads as they realized they’d now have to take this useless man’s statement.

 

Ellie sighed heavily as she sat down next to Alec across from the phone company psychic. “And state your name for the tape.” She told him.

“Steve Connelly.”

“And you’re saying Danny Latimer wants us to know that he was put in a boat before he died?” Alec said gruffly from where he was sat back in his chair.

“Yes.” Steve confirmed.

Alec breathed deeply through his nose. “And I want you to know that nothing _offends_ me more, than cranks wasting police time.” He said through gritted teeth.

“I receive messages,” Steve went on. “I don’t- I don’t ask for them. I don’t question them.”

Ellie was much better at keeping her anger in check than Alec. “Did the message happen before or after you were allocated by your company to install extra phone lines here?” She asked boredly for the tape.

“After.” Steve nodded.

“Amazing, I love this.” Alec mumbled. “The phone engineer who hears voices from the dead.” He rolled his eyes.

“I don’t want this.” Steve argued, and Alec exhaled deeply as he was forced to look at him again. “It comes to me. Look, you don’t want to listen, that’s fine-”

“Oh, you’re a _reluctant_ psychic!” Alec yelled again as he took in the man with disgust. “A child has _died-_ and you come in here with this self-indulgent horseshit!”

Steve didn’t answer that, eyes flicking between the table and Alec fearfully.

Ellie sighed. “Did you ever meet Danny Latimer?” She asked.

Steve shook his head. “No, never.”

Ellie’s nostrils flared. “Do you know the family?”

“No, don’t think so.” Steve answered, and Alec exhaled loudly again, shaking his head.

Ellie held back her eye roll. “Do you have any concrete evidence relating to the death of Danny Latimer?” She asked finally.

Steve let a moment pass before answering. “No.” He finally whispered, and Ellie looked over to Alec who just shook his head angrily again. She terminated the interview and hit stop on the recorder.

“Do you know what happens around a murder, Mr. Connelly?” Alec demanded angrily as soon as the tape stopped running. “A whole industry grows up, of groupies, and rubberneckers, and people who want to touch the case. You’re just the first.” He bit out before standing up. “Don’t let me see you around here again. Get him out.” He said to Ellie as he turned.

“She wants to thank you.” Steve said to Alec’s back. Alec turned around to look at him, brows raised. “For pulling her from the river.” He clarified, and Ellie turned to look at her boss questioningly, but he remained silent, stepping aside to open the door for them.

He finally spoke up again as they made their way down the corridor. “Every big case, these people come crawling out of the woodwork.” He said.

“What did he mean about the river? Do you know?” Ellie asked him.

Not surprisingly, Alec ignored the question. “He has the bloody nerve to come into our office!” He yelled, flinging open the door to the main section of the floor. “Check his details, find out who he is, rule him out, just to be sure.” He ordered, marching into his office to grab his coat.

“What are you gonna do now?” Ellie called to him as she went to her own desk.

“Mark Latimer lied to us about where he was that night.” Alec said as he shoved his arms through his coat sleeves and pulled his mobile out of it. There was a notification reminding him to take his meds, and he started digging through his pockets for them.

“Danny’s social network profiles from his hard drive.” Ellie said distractedly to him as she started reading the papers that were set on her desk. “They’ve just come through. All his posts.” Alec looked up to her interested as he fist closed around the blister packs and she began reading out loud.

“ _3rd of May: ‘Gonna get a lock on my door. Keep all this crap out.’_  
7th of May: ‘She’s totally having sex with Dean.’  
12th of May: ‘Dear Dad, remember me? I’m the one you used to play with.’  
12th of May: ‘I know what he’s doing.’ ”

She finished reading somewhat ominously, looking back up to Alec.

Alec sucked his teeth as he took all that in, but then just turned on his heel. “See you later.” He told her, pulling his phone and medication out as he got into the lift.

 **-Does Daisy have social media?** He sent Rose after he popped the pills into his hand.

 **-She shouldn’t. Not old enough.** Rose answered when he stepped out of the station. **-Why?**

 **-Danny Latimer did.** He sent back vaguely, and Rose knew not to press for details.

 

Alec shut the porch door behind him after Mark stepped out. “Thursday night, the night Danny went missing,” He started, walking them further into the back garden, “Where were you?”

“On a callout.” Mark answered quickly. “Call came through, I don’t know, early evening, about half six.” He looked around as he spoke. “Old family’s system had packed in y’know?”

Alec hated lies. His job was one of the reasons he and Rose had such a huge policy on them. “How long did that take?” He asked instead of immediately getting to his point.

Mark shook his head and looked down as he answered. “Most of the night. It was a nightmare boiler. So I was there pretty late.”

Alec breathed deeply and held back the temptation to roll his eyes. “No.” He said simply. “There was no callout.” He told him, and watched as Mark’s eyes widened minutely. He let a moment pass where they just stared at each other. “We have CCTV footage of the car park at the top of Briar Cliff.. You were there at 7:30.”

Mark looked around to see if Beth was still standing in the window and sniffed. “Uh… so you’re snooping on me now?” He deflected.

“Well, checking CCTV footage in the area.” Alec threw back easily, expecting that. “Now, what were you doing that night?”

Mark pulled his shoulders back and lifted his chin. “What am I, a suspect?” He half-whispered.

“The first thing we do,” Alec started, looking around as he spoke, “is eliminate people from the investigation. You tell me where you were, who you were with, how long for- I can eliminate you from suspicion. It’s entirely methodical.” He jotted down a note as Mark remained silent. “You don’t give me those facts, I can’t eliminate you. And if I can’t eliminate you, you’re a person of interest.” He told him.

“In the murder of my own son?” Mark said.

“I’m sure this is all very straightforward.” Alec answered, underlining something unimportant on his notepad.

Mark shoved his hands into his pockets before he answered. “I, uh, I met a mate. Yeah, y’know, we drove off together, and then he dropped me back at the car park, and uh… I came home.”

Alec eyed him suspiciously. “What time?”

“3-4 in the morning. Maybe.”

Alec wrote that down. “What was your mate’s name?” He asked.

Mark looked around. “I uh, I can’t remember.”

Alec’s head snapped back up to squint at the man. “Sorry? You can’t remember the name of your friend?” He asked incredulously. Mark shook his head, not meeting his eyes. “Where did you go?” Alec tried.

“I think we just had a bit of a drive around, a bit to eat, a drink, y’know. I think.” He said shrugging.

Alec stared at him. “You think? This was three days ago.”

“Yeah, and a lot’s happened since then.”

Alec glanced up to the kitchen window where Beth was standing, watching them, and he thought he might know what Mark may have been doing. “Is there any reason you wouldn’t want to tell me the name of your mate?” He asked, trying to give the father a chance to tell the truth before it was too late. “This is only about who killed Danny. Nothing else.”

“Um…” Mark shrugged, rocking from side to side anxiously as he stuttered. “It’ll come back to me. I’m just knackered.” He rambled.  “I haven’t been sleeping y’know, all the stuff on the news… Head’s not straight.”

Alec sighed and blinked at him. “When you came in you went straight to bed?” He asked, and Mark nodded. “Can your wife confirm what time you came back?”

“Uh, no. She was asleep.” Mark answered shortly

Alec stared at him disbelievingly. The mental picture came to him of the time Rose had stayed up until 4 AM waiting for him to get home during Sandbrook, and he thanked God for his happy marriage. “Mark, who you met-” he tried again. “That’s a big gap in your recollection.”

His phone started ringing as he stared Mark down, and he had to excuse himself as he saw it was Miller. “Sorry.” He said to Mark before turning away to answer. “What?” He said into the phone.

“I’m at the hut.” Ellie said, not wasting time with hello. “SOCO thinks it’s where Danny was killed… We found his prints and some blood.”

“Right. Anything else?” Alec asked as he catalogued that.

Ellie sighed loud enough for the receiver to pick it up. “Yeah, the whole place has been cleaned. But we’ve also found another set of prints by the sink. I messaged them through to run a match against the elimination prints…” Ellie trailed off and took a deep breath. “They belong to Mark Latimer.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Comments keep writers writing ❤︎**


	3. Episode III

_[Monday, 22nd of July]_

DI Alec Tyler-Hardy stood on the edge of the police-lined cliff while all around him white-suited SOCO flocked in and around the hut where 11-year-old Danny Latimer had been murdered. The sun had set hours prior, leaving the sea an inky-blackness to bleed into the night sky. It was well past midnight now, the sun not yet having risen on Day Four of the investigation. The wind pushed the DI’s hair around as he squinted towards the dark horizon.

Ellie walked up then, carrying a plastic bag that she began to sort through as she came to a halt. She looked up and noticed him eyeing her with an annoyed expression on his brow. “Am I too rustly?” She asked sarcastically, and then held up a thermos of tea.

“What’s that?” He asked, eyeing the cup suspiciously.

Ellie didn’t blink at that one. “Well, it’s freezing. Long weekend working, big day ahead. I thought a thermos would help.”

Alec sighed and took it from her without a word. Ellie rolled her eyes at the unsurprising lack of thanks. “It makes no sense…” He said, looking around. “Body found at the bottom of Harbour Cliff. Why move him there? Why not just throw him off here? Perfectly good cliff to chuck a body over.” He observed emotionlessly, nodding toward the edge in front of them.

“Can you not talk about it like that, please?” Ellie implored him exasperatedly, looking a bit ill. 

Alec ignored her. “Any boats gone missing recently?” He asked instead.

Ellie looked up at that. “A boat would leave no tracks. You could moor it on the shore, leave a body, and the evidence would be washed away.” She realised.

Alec nodded and let out a long breath. “What time is Mark Latimer coming in?” 

She shifted uncomfortably. “Nine.” She answered, and then sighed. “Sir, I can’t believe he’s capable of this. There’s any number of reasons his prints could be in that hut.”

Alec cut her off before she could go on. “You need to look at the evidence in front of you, and stop behaving like you’re his bloody solicitor.” He reprimanded her, walking away before she could wipe the gobsmacked expression off her face.

 

He managed to get home before the sun rose, to of course find his wife wide awake making a pot of tea. “Hey,” she greeted him with a smile over her shoulder, pulling down a second mug for him.

“Mm, yeah.” He answered distractedly, throwing his coat over the kitchen chair as he relayed his conversation with Mark in his head, sitting down heavily.

Rose sat down next to him, handing over the cuppa which he took gratefully. “Penny for them.” She said, raising a hand to brush the hair out of his eyes.

Alec exhaled heavily as he thought how to answer that without giving out information about the case. “Sordid love affairs.” He answered eventually, dryly.

Rose let out a surprised laugh at that. She wanted to ask what on Earth had him thinking about that- because she knew it wasn’t for any personal reasons, but she also knew that meant it’s about the case, so really she’d rather not know then.

Alec looked at her sideways at her laugh. “What, you’re not worried I’m having a sordid love affair then?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at his wife while he took a sip of tea.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Hardly.” She answered easily, and Alec hummed appreciatively. They sat in comfortable silence after that, finishing their cuppas. “Come on,” Rose said as Alec drained the last of his tea, “try and get some sleep before you have to go back in.” Alec nodded in agreement.

That night he held his wife even closer that usual.

 

The station was packed with officers Monday morning.

DS Ellie Miller weaved her way in and out of the bodies, holding files above her head to make room, as she carved her path towards Alec Tyler-Hardy’s office. She knocked on his open door. “We’re all here ready when you are, sir.”

He glanced up at her from the file he was sifting through. “You do it.”

Ellie blanched, “I- I can’t. I’ve never done that.”

Alec nodded, walking past her. “In you go.”

Her leg shook as she stood in front of the staff. “Good Morning.” She said, and nodded at their answer. “I’m uh- …Welcome. I’m uh Ellie- DS Miller… uh… So we’ve- we’ve got a lot to get through, um, and we’re- we’re already uh behind. Because of the weekend, and- and not having the resources. Which are here now. Which are you.” She swung her arms awkwardly and looked around. “So um… so y’know we just need to… to hit the ground running. Um- Right. Priorities today, house-to-house enquiries, uh CCTV retrieval, um technical data retrieval from phones, and uh- alibi follow-ups. And- and on top of that we’ve- we’ve had a- a lot of information in- so we need to sift through that.” She cut herself off and looked over to Alec who was eyeing her knowingly. She dismissed them quickly, and glared over to the DI as he walked into the break room.

Alec set down a cuppa in front of her when she followed him in (a little proud of himself that he remembered, even as he was being snarky), and she glared down at it. “Very inspiring.” He commented dryly, leaning against the counter.

“Don’t ever do that to me again!” She bit out. “What was that? Just because I’m not running to arrest Mark Latimer, I get thrown to the lions?”

“Hey you didn’t mention we could all discount Mark Latimer.” He gave her a significant look, “or your own-  _ exhaustive _ list of suspects.”

“Don’t harangue me!” She yelled, pointing at him angrily. “God, you’re such a-” She cut herself off.

He stared at her boredly for a second, distantly wondering if she planned on finishing her berration of him. When she didn’t continue, he looked to the side and changed the subject onto more important matters than him trying to quietly prove that he didn’t  _ take _ any promotion from her. She would have hated being DI. “We need to interview your son.” He told her. “He should have an appropriate adult- not you, obviously. Relative, maybe?”

Ellie crossed her arms in front of her. “What about Daisy?”

“Yeah you get to interview her on your own. Rose will be there.” He told her quickly, the subject coming too close to personal details for his comfort. “Latimer’s downstairs- we should start.” He said, turning away. 

 

Rose looked down to her phone as her and Daisy walked down High Street, intent on buying some papers with the Sunday school kids to hang up in the church classroom. There was a message from Beth.  **-I know I’m not supposed to ask, but has Alec said anything to you about Mark?**

Rose swallowed at the message. Of course Alec hadn’t said anything, but he did come home last night talking about sordid love affairs, and now here Beth was texting Rose worriedly about her husband. It wasn’t hard to put the pieces together. Not that she was going to let Beth in on her theory.  **-I’m sorry, dear. You know he wouldn’t.** She replied honestly.  **-Is he okay?**

**-Yeah, yeah. He had to go in for an interview. Just worried is all.**

Rose sighed at that- flashbacks of similar events in Sandbrook hitting her, and scrubbed her hand down her face.  **-Sounds routine.** She sent back, telling herself it wasn’t a lie.

Her phone vibrated again.  **-Yeah, that’s what Mark said… -Thanks, Rose.**

Rose groaned inwardly and attempted to ignore the curious look her daughter was giving her. She really didn’t want to this to come back to bite her in the ass.  **-Sorry I don’t know more, dear.**

 

“Sorry about yesterday afternoon,” Mark started. “What with everything, I don’t know, I was a little bit hazy when you were asking me all those questions.”

Alec stared at him deploringly for a beat. “It’s more like you tried to lie.”

Mark shook his head, looking at the table. “I was just confused, I suppose.” He looked up. “All the days are blending into one, you know.” He paused. “The boiler that I said I’d done- that was Wednesday night. You know how it is.” He tilted his head towards Ellie who gave him a half-hearted smile in return.

“And Thursday night you were with a mate?” Alec asked, sounding doubtful. “But yesterday, you could not remember the name of that mate…”

“It was Nige, who I work with.” Mark cut in quickly.

Alec nodded, “okay” he said, and studied the man. “So you couldn’t remember the name of the man that you work with all day?”

Mark shook his head and raised his shoulder slightly. “Just shock, I suppose- doing funny things.” His eyes flickered over to Ellie.

“We’ll check with Nige.” She said, hands clasped in front of her.

“Yeah you go ahead and do that, Elle.”

Alec sighed and pulled the photo of the hut out of the file next to him. “You know where this is?” He asked, placing it in front of Mark.

“Yeah, that’s the rental place on Briar Cliff ain’t it?” Mark answered easily, picking the photo up.

“Ever been there?”

“Yeah I was there a weekend or two back.” He said, still looking at the picture. “It was a burst pipe.”

Alec’s brow furrowed. “When you say a weekend or two back…”

Mark tossed the photo back down. “Well I don’t know. Three, on the outside.” He crossed his arms. “Nicky, who does our paper work for us, she’d have the exact date on the old invoice.”

Alec nodded. “If it’s a rental property who called you out?”

Mark shrugged. “I don’t know. This woman. I can’t remember her name. I picked the keys up from her at the caravan park.”

That went with what Alec knew about the keys to the hut. “Just you, or your mate Nige?”

“No, just me. It was an emergency call out. They were all worried about getting the place flooded or something… Nige was away with his mum.”

Alec stayed silent, studying the man as he did. “Mark, do you own a boat?” He asked eventually, following a hunch.

He nodded, “yeah.”

 

“A boat, prints at the murder scene, and an alibi made up overnight.” Alec listed off as they walked through the station, stopping at his office door. “Ask…” He drifted off, attempting to remember the name of the family liaison officer. “Pete- what Mark told Beth about Thursday night. See if it marries up. And while we check, Mark stays here.” He sat down at his desk.

“Do you understand what it’d do to that family-  _ to this town _ , if it was Mark?” Ellie asked him angrily as she leaned against the door frame.

“What are you looking for here, Miller?” Alec answered exasperatedly. “An easy answer to this? The least pain? It won’t work like that.” He scolded.

“I know!” Ellie bit back angrily.

“Do you?” Alec said, raising his eyebrows disbelievingly. “Really?” He didn’t wait for her answer before he turned away, pulling his phone out to text his family.

**-Could you bring Daisy in today?** He sent Rose, even as he hated himself for it.

**-Only if you ask her first.** Rose sent back quickly, not missing a beat.

He sighed, scrubbing his hand down his face as he pulled up Daisy’s number.  **-Hey, sweetheart. Think you and your mum could come down to talk to DS Miller today?**

A few minutes passed where Daisy’s typing bubble appeared, disappeared, and then reappeared a couple times as she wrote and rewrote her response.  **-Yeah, I guess if you really need me to.** She finally settled on, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

**-Thank you. I love you.**

**-Love you too Dad.**

Alec took a screenshot of the conversation and sent it to Rose. She sent back a heart emoji.

 

“There it is, Mark’s boat.” Ellie said as she spotted it. She turned though to see her boss’s sickly-green face and his knuckles turning white as he gripped the side of the boat. “Are you alright?”

Alec swallowed. “Don’t like being on the water.” He said shortly, images of Pippa flashing though his mind’s eye.

Ellie wrinkled her nose at him. “We’re barely on it.” She said, looking around to the shallow docks and puttering motor. Alec ignored her.

As they pulled up to Mark’s boat Ellie easily jumped ship, turning around and holding her hand out for Alec, but he shook his head. “Only needs one. Minimize the risk of contaminating the crime scene.” He said, not loosening his grip on the boat. “Go on.”

Ellie rolled her eyes knowingly, but didn’t call him out on it, turning to pull the tarp further back. “Oh shit,” she muttered when she spotted it. “There’s blood.”

 

Later, Ellie greeted every single person they passed as they made their way through the caravan park towards Susan Wright’s house. “Hiya!” “Hey how’s it going?” “Morning!” She paused and grinned at some children holding a football. “Gonna give me a header? Go on I’m ready! At my head!” They stared at her. “Fine.”

Alec looked at her sideways. “You overcompensate.”

“I know.” Ellie spoke over him, not really needing her flaws pointed out to her by the the socially-inept Detective Inspector.

The rude woman, Susan Wright, denied that Mark had ever been in the hut, or that they’d ever had a burst pipe, and slammed the door in their faces. They made their way back to the car.

“Is Tom going to come in today?” He asked her as they pulled away from the caravans.

Ellie glared at him sideways but answered anyway. “Yeah, with his dad. Is Daisy?”

Alec nodded and cleared his throat. “Best get this interview with  _ Nige _ done quickly then.”

 

Rose bit her lip and looked down to her mobile as she flipped it around in her hands. Finally she unlocked it and went to Beth’s contact.  **-Need something to do?** She sent her, remembering what she’d said about feeling trapped in the house, and imagining it must be worse with Mark gone at the station.

Beth answered almost immediately.  **-God, yes. Please.**

Rose smirked  **-Meet me at the church in 20.**

The chapel was genuinely the best place Rose could think of. It was the only place that wouldn’t be filled with other people to stare at Beth and come offer her pointless condolences. Plus it was only a short walk from Beth’s house which Rose was sure the woman would appreciate getting to take.

She got in her car and started the engine, looking over to the newspapers and garden supplies she’d gotten this morning. Daisy had run into a friend that had invited her over while they were town, and Rose had decided to leave the classroom-decorating for later when she’d have help. But now it served as a perfect excuse to get Beth out of her own head.

Rose was sitting on the floor sorting through the class photos she’d taken herself last week and just remembered still needed hanging up when Beth walked in. She was staring at the massive tulle rainbow and cotton clouds Rose had put up over the reading nook last week. “Jesus…” Beth muttered, not catching the irony, and Rose smirked as she looked up to her handy work.

“Yeah, Alec likes to say I’m only a teacher for the crafts.” She said, holding up the little handprints she’d had her 3-5 year olds make the day before for emphasis.

Beth let out a small laugh at that as she joined Rose on the floor. “I’m a terrible artist.” She warned her, eyeing the markers and hot-glue Rose had set out warrily.

Rose chuckled. “Don’t worry. The majority of crafting is just cutting things out and gluing them to other things.” Rose assured her, but at Beth’s hesitant look she turned to grab the window boxes and potting soil. “You’re good at gardening though aren’t you?” Beth nodded and Rose grinned, pointing behind her to the mostly empty wall she’d so far only managed to tape a paper picket fence to and hang a wooden sign that she’d painted  _ Growing through God  _ on. “I want to put a garden against that wall. Most of the flowers will be fake-” she held up a tissue-paper flower she’d made, “but I want to give the kids a project watering some real ones as well.”

Beth smiled and pulled the kaffir lilies to her while Rose got to work cutting out the photos of the children to put in the paper flowers. 

An hour later they were laughing as Rose taught Beth how to paper mache the tree in the corner. Paul stepped in curiously at the noise “Thought I was hearing voices back here. Began to convince myself I was going mad until I heard the laughing.” He commented from the door frame. The girls grinned over to him and he took in the large paper tree they were working on. “Wow… that is…  _ massive _ .” 

Rose shot a cheeky look over her shoulder “Yeah well it wouldn’t take up so much room if you’d just let me paint the stones.”

“Yeah, the  _ centuries old _ stones- painted rainbow. Not sure I could justify that one to the landlord.” Paul shot back dryly, and startled a bit at Beth’s snort. He took in the woman interestedly. She was smiling. Sorrow still sat on her shoulders, but it was as though she was able to put a bit of it down for a while. He looked over to Rose and wondered how someone could be so brilliant. He shook off the thoughts and looked down to the planted flower boxes on the floor. “What’s the gardening for then?”

Rose stepped down from her stool at that. “Alec said he could get those to hang from my paper fence without messing up your precious stones.” She told him, rolling her eyes.

Beth tilted her head at that. “I didn’t know Alec was handy.”

Rose laughed. “Yeah well how much does anyone really know about Alec?” The other two nodded appreciatively. “He’s not always so grumpy, I promise. Just doesn’t like anyone to know it.” At their disbelieving looks Rose sighed and pulled out her mobile, scrolling through the camera roll quickly to find the best photo she had for evidence.

It was this picture from when Daisy was four. The two of them had stolen her phone while she stepped away, and took selfies, and of the few that were in focus there was one where Alec had his tongue stuck out at the camera, eyes wide and twinkling with mischief. Daisy pressed up next to him laughing at her father’s face. She held it out for her friends to see, and they both gasped (rather dramatically, Rose thought).

“I didn’t know he was capable of smiling.” Paul said, and Rose hit him in the arm.

Beth was laughing again. “You should send that to Ellie.”

Rose chuckled at that, but shook her head, clicking her mobile off as she put it back in her pocket. “He’d  _ never _ forgive me.”

A comfortable silence followed, until finally Beth let out a loud breath. “I’d better get going.” She said, sounding like she simultaneously wanted to go, and never leave.

“Are you sure?” Rose asked, wanting her to be sure before she left her to herself.

Beth nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. Chloe and my mum are probably wondering what’s keeping me.” She pulled out her mobile at that and the action seemed to bring her back to reality almost instantly. “Yeah, three missed calls. All from Mum.” Her shoulders slumped and Paul noticed that the sadness wasn’t as hidden anymore as she picked the weight back up.

“Alright dear.” Rose said, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you for helping me.”

Beth sniffed. “No, thank you.”

 

Nigel had just finished telling Alec that he and Mark had gotten a lock-in at The Fox until one o’clock when Ellie came up. “Nige you wanna stop pissing about?” She said angrily, getting both men to look over to her. “Your mum just said you were in with her all night until 10:30, and then you went out round the corner for last orders  _ and not with Mark. _ ”

Alec sighed, closing the useless notes he’d just taken and turning to Nige deploringly.

When they got back to the station (after deciding not to waste time pressing charges on Nigel), it was half noon, and he found Rose and Daisy waiting for him in his office. “Oh I forgot to give you a time, didn’t I?” He asked, pulling out his mobile to see the list of messages asking from the two of them.

Rose raised her eyebrows. “Mm, yeah. Figured we’d just come now and maybe be able to force you to eat lunch after.”

Ellie peeked around the corner then, “Oh hello Rose! Daisy! How are you two doing?”

Rose grinned. “Fine, and yourself?”

Alec rolled his eyes at the pleasantries and cut off Ellie’s reply. “We have to go interview a person of interest, and then we’ll be back.” He told them. “Miller, call your husband.” He ordered her gruffly, not waiting for an answer as he turned on his heel to head towards Mark. Ellie shot Rose a significant look that Rose shrugged apologetically at before Ellie followed him into interrogation.

They sat down across from Mark quietly, wondering if he was going to take anything back now that he’d had time to sit on it. When the silence continued though, Alec sniffed, sitting forward. “Since we talked earlier, we checked up on a couple of things.” He told him. “Number one, the woman who holds the keys to the hut on Briar Cliff has no memory of you fixing a burst pipe.”

“That’s bollocks.” Mark interrupted, shaking his head. “I got the keys from her, I fixed it, I took them back.” He said, rubbing at the headache behind his eyes. “She has a caravan. She has a dog.”

“She says not.” Alec said without blinking.

“Well she’s lying.” Mark shot back.

He breathed deeply, not feeling the need to reply to that, and looked back to his notes. “Number two. Your alibi is rubbish.” He told him flatly. “Your mate Nige is not a good liar.”

Mark didn’t back down. “He’s not lying, I was with him.”

“No, no, no let’s not insult each other’s intelligence.” Alec bit out, getting properly angry now. “Your son has been  _ killed _ . So I’m at a bit of a loss as to why you would mislead us.”

“Why’d you lie Mark?” Ellie cut in.

“You just wait, Miller.” Alec interrupted, looking back to his notes, and Ellie held back the impulse to roll her eyes. “I haven’t done point three.” He paused and looked back up to Mark. “Point three- we had a look at your boat. And there’s bloodstains in it.” He paused, and watched Mark huff, he tilted his head. “Whose blood is in the boat, Mark?”

Mark blinked a few times, keeping his arms crossed before answering quietly. “Dan’s. We took the boat out the week before last. When we had the hot spell. It was me and Danny and Chloe, fishing about a mile offshore. We caught three sea bass. We took them back and we barbecued them. Danny was messing around on deck, he caught the uh…” He trailed off and closed his eyes as he relived the memory. “He caught the end of the line in the bottom of his foot and he gashed it open. And he was hopping around yelling and screaming…” He nodded. “Chloe was there so you can ask her.”

“We will.” Ellie said quietly, and he nodded, looking back to Alec.

“Why are you lying about where you were Thursday night?” Alec asked again gruffly.

Mark sat forward angrily. “How is me being here helping find Danny’s killer?”

“We cannot rule you out until we know where you were.” Alec answered, not missing a beat. 

Mark was properly angry then. “Yeah, but everything’s become a part of this, ain’t it?!” He yelled, gesturing vaguely to the table. “ _ Everything! _ And it’s got  _ nothing _ to do with this!”

“Everything counts now!” Alec yelled back over him. “Who did what? Who was there? Everything connects, everything feeds this case.” He sat forward to look at Mark seriously as he continued to speak loudly. “If we don’t get the truth, we won’t find who killed Danny! That  _ starts _ with  _ you! _ ”

“Mark, just tell us about Thursday.” Ellie practically begged.

“I already told you ain’t I?!” He yelled, throwing his arms out. “I told you about the hut and you’re saying I’m lying and I’m not!”

Alec sat back, irritated. “Mark, my daughter dies, I’d tell the the police officer everything.” He said, shaking his head. “I just would.” He stared at the man for a few beats as he let that settle in. “Why did you ask Nigel to invent a false alibi?” He tried again.

Mark shook his head. “I don’t know. Everything I say is just getting all twisted up. I can’t think straight.”

Alec sighed and sat forward, done. He tucked his notepad pack into his jacket pocket as he spoke. “Alright, Mark Latimer I’m arresting you for obstructing a murder inquiry-”

Ellie’s jaw fell open. “No- sir-” She interrupted.

“Enough.” He cut her off without looking over. “You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.” He finished giving the police caution.

“Is this what you do, Ellie.” Mark threw to the woman.

“Mark, don’t make us hold you, just tell us the truth.” She begged.

Mark just shook his head.

 

When they got back to his office, Ellie was holding back tears that he didn’t notice, but Rose of course immediately stood up when she saw the woman’s face. “Are you okay?” She asked, stepping forward to place her hand on Ellie’s arm. Alec looked up in genuine surprise at the two women, and Daisy, catching her father’s look, bit back a snort.

Ellie shook her head and Rose looked over her shoulder to glare at her husband. “What did you do to her?” She didn’t really think he’d done anything, but she knew she couldn’t actually  _ ask _ why Ellie was upset, and she knew the comment would get a smile from the woman- which it did.

Ellie sniffed and squared her shoulders. “No. I’m good. I’m fine.” She said, shaking off her emotions. Alec could tell her to be detached all he wants, doesn’t make arresting her friends any easier. She looked up to him as she spoke. “Tom and Joe are waiting downstairs. Where do you want to do this?” She asked, getting back to business quickly.

Alec nodded appreciatively. “You can interview Daisy in here. I’ll take Tom and Joe into the children’s questioning room.” He told her, referring to the closed off waiting room where the younger members of families in crisis are put while things are dealt with.

Moments later, after Alec had kissed his wife and daughter on the head in farewell and goodluck, Ellie began setting up the camera to film Daisy as she answered the questions. “So, how has your days been going, then?” She asked them as she set up.

Rose smiled. “Oh not bad, Daisy went to hang out with a friend, and Beth came over to my classroom at church to help me do some decorating.”

Ellie looked up surprised, “Oh that’s lovely! That’d be good for her- getting out of her head for a bit. I didn’t realise you and Beth were so close.”

Rose nodded. “Yeah she seemed to enjoy herself, at least. She said she was going barmy in that house so I figured I could give her something to do.” Rose shrugged. “We were starting to get close since we moved here, but I was there when…” Rose trailed off. “Well you know. Anyway, she knows I can be there for her at the drop of a hat now it’s Summer… and I’m good with grief.” Rose explained.

Ellie tilted her head at that last bit of information, but when Rose didn’t elaborate she smiled and looked between her and Daisy. “Shall we get started?” She asked, and hit the record button on the girl’s nod.

“Alright Daisy, I’m not sure how much your father has explained to you about this, but basically, I just need to ask you a few questions about Danny when you last saw him, and we’re going to record it to make it official. Is that alright with you?” Daisy nodded silently- hitting home why they video recorded children’s interviews instead of just audio. Ellie looked up to Rose, needing her consent as well.

“Yes, sounds good.” Rose said aloud, aware that she wasn’t in view of the camera from her side of the couch. Ellie nodded appreciatively. 

“So, Daisy, when was the last time you saw Danny Latimer?” Ellie asked, pulling out her notebook.

Daisy tucked her hair behind her ear a bit awkwardly before answering. “Last Thursday afternoon. He came over to my house cos it’s nearer the beach and we wanted to train for the 400 metre on the sand. We were both competing in the races for Sports Day at school.” She elaborated easily without being asked- clearly her father’s daughter.

“And what time was this?” Ellie asked.

Daisy bit her lip and looked down as she answered. “Straight after school. Mum drove us both back to the house and then we ran and hung out on the beach for a couple of hours… didn’t come back in until…” She trailed off and looked up to her mum questioningly.

“Probably about six o’clock.” Rose answered.

Daisy nodded, repeating the time herself for the camera without prompt. “The sun was starting to set so we went back in. Dad had just gotten home.” She added.

“Is that around the time Danny left?” Ellie asked as she wrote the details down for her own notes.

Daisy nodded again. “Mum asked if he wanted to stay for dinner, but when he texted his mum to ask she said she was cooking.”

“And how did Danny get back home?”

“He rode his skateboard. Mum offered him a ride too but he said he’d rather just go by himself. We don’t live far from the Latimer’s.”

Ellie nodded as she considered what questions to ask next. “How long had you known Danny?” She settled on.

“We met a few days after we moved here. Probably only about two and a half weeks. We got here on the 28th of June- that was a Friday, and I met Danny in school on Monday.” Daisy smirked. “But we didn’t really get to be friends until the end of that week when I got mad when I found out girls couldn’t join the Sea Brigade. He told me he’d teach me how to sail himself.”

Ellie’s heart clenched at that. That sounded like Danny. “I know you didn’t know him long. But did he seem to be acting differently at all to you? Specifically Thursday afternoon?”

Daisy started shaking her head, but seemed to abort the a move halfway though, and Ellie sat forward. “Well… not really. It’s just that…” She trailed off and looked over to her mum, who nodded encouragingly. She took a deep breath. “I don’t know. It seemed like when we met he was normal, but as the weeks went on he started getting all… anxious. Kept getting mad at me whenever I asked too many questions of him. By Thursday he was really jittery- especially by the end of the day.”

Ellie wrote that down quickly, mind racing at all the implications that bit of information had. It was the first time anyone had referred to Danny as anything other than ‘normal’ since the investigation started. “Did he ever say anything to you that would make you think you know why that is?” She asked.

Daisy shook her head. “I think he was keeping secrets. Not just from me, from everyone…” Daisy trailed off. “But I think he wanted to get rid of the secrets. Like he was done with them.”

“What makes you say that?” Ellie asked, studying the girl.

Daisy shrugged. “Just seemed like it, I guess. I asked him one time- what he wasn’t telling me. He denied it so angrily it  _ must _ have been a lie, y’know?” She sounded so much like her father. “Then Thursday a bit before we went back to the house I asked him again if everything was alright and he just looked at me and said ‘they’re going to be.’”

Ellie sucked in a breath and jotted that down quickly. She tapped her pen against the notepad as she thought. She had to ask. “Did Danny ever mention his dad to you, Daisy?”

Daisy squinted, looking up to the ceiling as she tried to recall. “No… not that I can remember, sorry.”

Ellie shook her head. “No, nothing to be sorry about dear. Thank you, you’ve been really helpful.”

Daisy nodded. “Is that it?” She asked when Ellie didn’t question her further.

“Unless you can think of anything else that might help us.”

Daisy bit her lip, looking around as she sifted through her memories for anything else, but eventually just shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”

Ellie let out a long breath and smiled. “Alright, thank you then. We’ll call you if we need anything else, alright?” Both Daisy and Rose nodded, and Ellie switched off the camera.

Rose sighed and pulled her mobile back out, switching it on. She had a missed call from Beth. “Shit.” She mumbled under her breath, and looked up to Ellie. “Beth called. Can I leave Daisy here for a sec?” Ellie nodded, even as she paled- she knew what that call would be about.

Rose stepped out of the room quickly, hurriedly punching in Beth’s number and bringing the phone to her ear. Beth answered before the first ring was through. “Oh God I’m sorry, Beth. Daisy-” she started.

Beth cut her off before she could finish. “They’ve arrested Mark.” She told her. She sounded tired. Like it was her mouth moving, but it was someone else speaking.

Rose stopped dead in her tracks halfway to the lift, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh my God…” She whispered, running forward quickly to hit the lift button.

“Rose what do I do? I don’t even know who I can trust anymore. I’m going mad sitting here waiting-” She cut herself off with a sob and Rose’s heart clenched. 

In front of her the lift doors opened to reveal her husband, and she pushed him back in before he could step out, letting the doors close behind her but not hitting any of the floor numbers. “Has he been charged?” Rose asked both Beth and Alec- earning a glare from the latter. 

“No, I don’t know, I don’t think so.” Beth said miserably, while in front of her Alec shook his head reluctantly. “He just won’t tell them what he was doing Thursday night.”

“Then we can’t jump to any conclusions.” Rose said, leaning against the far wall to escape the look her husband was giving her.

“He’s been arrested while they’re investigating my son’s murder!” Beth practically screamed back.

Rose sighed. “Beth… take it from me, please. You’re never going to know exactly what’s going on in this investigation. You just can’t. They do that so they can have the best shot at finding Danny’s killer.” Beth let out another sob at that and Rose held back tears at the sound, reaching her hand out and nodding gratefully when Alec took it. “We’ll deal with these things as they come. And it won’t be easy. But it will be a hell of a lot easier than sitting around beating yourself up over things you don’t know for certain… As for right now, please just do me a favor and hug Chloe. She’s there. She understands. She’s probably bloody terrified…”

On the other end of the line Beth let out a small pitiful chuckle. “How are you so amazing?” She asked eventually around her tears.

Rose smirked at that and shook her head. “You won’t believe me when I say this. But because of Alec.” She answered honestly.

Beth gave an incredulous tear-soaked laugh at that. “Yeah, you’re right. I won’t believe you.” There was a long pause where neither one of them said anything while they waited for Beth to calm down. “Alright… I’m gonna go get that hug now.” She said once she felt like she was breathing normally again.

Rose nodded. “Alright dear. Take care, please.” She closed her eyes and squeezed Alec’s hand tightly as Beth thanked her and hung up.

“Really?” Alec asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

“Sorry.” Rose let out, taking a step forward and ignoring his disapproving look to rest her head on his chest. “Sometimes I just need someone to hold my hand too.” She sniffed as Alec wrapped his arms around her waist. “Didn’t mean to ask you about the case.”

Alec sighed. “It’s okay. I understand. Wasn’t anything Beth didn’t already know and wasn’t gonna tell you anyway.”

Rose bit back all the follow up questions she had pertaining to Mark’s arrest.  _ Did he do it? What’s the evidence? Why did he lie? Is this the ‘sordid love affair’ he was thinking about last night? Are they connected?  _ Instead of voicing any of that though, she breathed deeply and took a step back- physically and metaphorically. “I left Daisy in your office. She finished the interview. Did quite well if I do say so myself.”

Alec chuckled and leaned back to get the lift doors.

 

Later, after he’d managed to step out for a quick bite to eat with his family, he and Ellie sat at their desks to watch the interviews of their respective children.

Alec couldn’t help how proud of his daughter he was as he watched, jotting down bits of what she said. Silently praying she didn’t want to go into law enforcement- she’d be bloody brilliant at it, but it sits too heavy on the heart for his little girl.

He looked up to see Ellie fiddling with her pen while she watched Tom. He made a decision quickly, standing up as he did, “Miller?” He called as he walked out of his office, removing his reading glasses and scrubbing at his eyes. She paused the video and looked up to him as he leaned against her filing cabinets. “Reconstruction. Thursday night, one week on. Your boy Tom, he should do it.”

Ellie pulled her chin back. “What? No, I don’t want him to.” She said, shaking his head vehemently.

Alec wasn’t one to take no for an answer- ever. “No, he’s the best choice.” He pressed.

She stared at him incredulously. “Did you not hear what I just said? He’s just lost his best friend- that could traumatize him for life.”

Alec sighed, “Well, maybe he should be allowed to decide.”

“No, I’m his mum. I decide.” Ellie bit out.

Alec raised his eyebrows. “Oh, so your commitment to this investigation stops outside these doors?”

White hot anger rolled through Ellie at that, and she gritted her teeth to keep from yelling and slapping her boss. “With respect sir, move away from me now,” she practically growled, “or I will piss in a cup and throw it at you.”

Alec, of course, was unfazed by the threat, and didn’t back down. “Talk to…” He trailed off, squinting at her as he tried to remember the name. Ellie set her pen down and held her head in her hands. “What’s your husbands name? Joe? Talk to him about it. And Tom.”

Ellie balled her hands into fists. “You’re invited for dinner.” She said through clenched teeth.

That threw Alec for a loop as he stared at her for a few seconds, processing the non sequitur. “What?”

“Pick a night.” Ellie said, glaring at him.

Alec looked like a deer caught in the headlights, or a confused puppy. If she weren’t so cross with him she’d feel bad. “At your house? Why?”

Ellie rolled her eyes. “You’re new in town. You don’t know many people. Rose is friends with our friends. Our kids go to school together.” She gave the top four.

Alec shook his head minutely. “You’re just listing facts at me, Miller.” He said, remembering the last time he said that was to Rose on Friday- this must be a social custom then. Either way, he’d really rather not. “It’s not a good idea.” He tried, while Ellie shook her head at him.

“Please don’t be an arsehole about it.” She sighed. “I don’t really want to do it either. But it’s what people do.”

Alec wrinkled his nose. There was that phrase again.  _ ‘It’s what people do.’ _ Why should it matter to him what other people do? “Is it?” He let out, feeling like his chest was tight, but not from any condition.

Ellie wasn’t as good at dealing with Alec’s inability to understand basic human social cues as Rose was. “Yes. They have their bosses’ families round.” She close to yelled. “We don’t have to talk about work.”

Alec was even more thrown by that though. “What will we talk about?”

Ellie did yell then. “I don’t know! Just say yes.”

There was a long pause where Alec looked from her to around the rest of the room. He really wanted to say no. But he knew Rose would be really cross with him if he did- he’s pretty sure it would be rude to refuse. “Yeah.” He eventually mumbled quietly.

Ellie let out a long breath, still staring at him incredulously. “Thank you. Bloody hell.” She said, wondering why that had to be so hard. When he walked away she threw her pen down. “Knob.” She muttered.

The phone rang; Becca Fisher was downstairs.

 

Becca stood up quickly when Ellie walked through the door. “I’m under instructions to come in. Chloe Latimer texted me.” She said.

Ellie nodded, “Okay.” And she led her through to an interrogation room, calling Alec down on the way.

Becca let out a long breath once the tape was running. “Thursday night, Mark Latimer was with me.” She said from where she was leant back in the chair. “We met in the car park and drove off. We were together till about one… Then I dropped him back off at the car park.”

Both Alec and Ellie had their arms crossed in front of them- Alec in frustration, Ellie in anger. “What were you doing?” She asked for the tape, holding back her disgust.

“Really?” Becca asked incredulously, but went on when Ellie didn’t back down- refusing to say it for her. “Having sex.” She bit out. Ellie’s nostrils flared at the woman, and Becca shook her head at the look. “I know. Worst decision of my life.”

Alec terminated the interview and stood up. “Alright you can go.” He told her, refusing to thank her, and he looked over to Ellie. “Come on.” He said, and they turned to make their way back to Mark Latimer.

Ellie glared at the man as they sat across from him. “Why didn’t you tell us you were with Becca Fisher on Thursday night?” She demanded.

Mark spoke quietly, not meeting her eyes. “Why do you think, Elle? You know this town.” His gaze flickered between the table and around the room- glancing over their faces. “If that got out…”

That properly annoyed Alec. “So you let us pursue this because you were worried about  _ gossip? _ ”

Mark shook his head, finally looking up to the detective. “No, not gossip.  _ Lives, _ mate. My family, her business.” Alec bit the inside of his cheek at that- if he were really worried about lives he wouldn’t have done it. “You don’t understand. You haven’t lived here. You don’t know how these things stick.” He went on, as if it was Alec’s fault. 

A few moments of silence passed as neither one of them had anything to say to him at that. “Don’t tell Beth.” Mark begged eventually, looking to Ellie. “I haven’t done anything like this before, I swear.”

“With her?” Ellie let out, raising her eyebrows.

“No, not with anyone.” Mark shook his head. “I mean I’ve had chances, but I’ve never done anything before this… We’re tired, though… Y’know. I saw a chance at something else and I took it.”

Alec blinked slowly at the man. No, he didn’t know. He would never. He couldn’t even imagine doing that to Rose. And the fact that Mark Latimer was sitting in front of them trying to  _ justify _ it- it made his blood boil. He stayed silent though, keeping his face passive. Letting Ellie handle it.

“This has only ever been about Danny’s killer. Why wouldn’t you tell us?” She demanded angrily again.

“Because I’m ashamed, innit?” Mark said, and tears started rolling down his cheeks as he spoke around his sobs. “The  _ one _ time I take him for granted, and that’s when I lost him, innit?” There was a pause as he attempted to get his breathing under control. Finally, he looked up to Ellie, who had tears in her eyes now. “Please don’t tell Beth. Please.” He begged.

They stayed silent.

 

Later, Alec stood at the window texting his wife. The sun had set now, but he still had work to do as he waited for the uniform to release Mark- he wouldn’t do it himself. If it were up to him he’d let him rot. He sighed and looked down to his mobile.  **-Hey, you know I love you, yeah?** He sent.

**-Mm yeah, I know. Is everything alright?** Rose texted, and he could practically see the worried furrow in her brow.

He scrubbed his hand down his face.  **-’s just been a long day is all.**

**-Okay. I love you too.** She replied easily, instead of asking. He nodded gratefully and pocketed the phone as Ellie came up to him. Out the window they could see Mark Latimer descending the steps outside.

“The hotel owner,” Alec started, momentarily forgetting her name. “Do you believe her?”

Ellie shrugged. “She’s no reason to lie.”

“Aside from the fact that they’re sleeping together.” He said, and Ellie looked over to him. “What if Danny found out about Mark and Becca Fisher’s affair?” He speculated.

“What, so a father kills his own son to keep him quiet?” Ellie asked incredulously.

“You think that’s impossible?” Alec asked dryly, remembering Sandbrook.

Something in Ellie must have broken as she answered honestly. “I don’t know.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I have every episode written save for the last 3.


	4. Episode IV

_[Tuesday, 23rd of July]_

At one o’clock Alec still wasn’t home, and Rose was up scrolling through listings on Zoopla- at this point looking for anything to get out of this tiny rental boat shack trying to pass itself off as a house. 

Their move to Broadchurch had been  _ rushed _ at best- as evidenced by the fact that they left three weeks before the end of the school year. The primary school had posted the listing for art teacher at the beginning of term, and Rose had applied then, but they couldn’t leave until the Sandbrook trials were over. Rose and Daisy  _ were _ going to go on ahead of Alec and get settled in, but neither one of them wanted to leave him in the middle of all that stress. So here they were, in the tiny boat shack, in the tiny town that was meant to be a reprieve- finding themselves once again in the middle of a child murder investigation.

Except this time it was so much worse.

Rose sighed, looking through the details of a four bedroom house just outside of town, wondering if they were ever going to get around to having more kids, when she heard a knock on the door. She looked up to see Beth standing there in the rain, obvious tears mixing with the weather. 

Rose jumped up immediately to pull the sliding door back and let the sobbing woman in. “Oh my God, Beth.” She breathed, pulling the throw from off the couch and wrapping it around Beth’s shoulders.

“He’s cheating on me! He was with Becca Fisher that night! And I saw him with her tonight, Rose!” She sobbed.

Rose’s heart clenched as she pulled Beth to her. “Alright, come on, sit down.” She said, pulling her to the sofa.

A few minutes passed where nothing was said as Beth continued to cry and Rose just rubbed her arm. Eventually, as her breathing began to even out, Beth spoke up. “I knew it, though. I knew, but I didn’t say anything, because I didn’t want to. And now…”

She trailed off and Rose pulled her closer. “I know, dear. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Beth shifted so that her head was in Rose’s lap, and she stared at the far wall as she spoke. “Do you think he did it?” She asked, not looking up.

Rose shook her head and looked up to the ceiling. How was she supposed to answer a question like that? “I don’t know what I think.” She said eventually, running her fingers through Beth’s hair comfortingly.

“Ever since… since it happened. I just keep thinking. What if I know them? What if they’re my friend? What if I’m seeing them everyday without even realising. And now- what if I’m sleeping next to them?” Beth sniffed and pulled the blanket further up her shoulders.

“I know. I’m sorry. I can’t even imagine, Beth.” Rose shook her head. “Does Mark know you saw him?” She asked, directing the conversation back to at least a  _ somewhat _ easier topic- by comparison at least. ( _ -Isn’t that terrible? ‘What would you like to talk about, Beth? Your husband’s affair? Or perhaps your child’s murderer?) _

Beth let out a long breath. “No. Don’t want to tell him. That’s just another thing I’ll have to deal with. And I just  _ can’t _ right now.”

Rose nodded and brushed the woman’s hair back comfortingly. “You’ll get through this.” She told her.

Beth snorted. “It doesn’t feel like it.” She said miserably.

“I know.”

 

When Alec got home an hour later they were just beginning  _ The Princess Diaries. _

He sighed heavily when he stepped through the door to find Beth Latimer’s tear-stained face resting on his wife’s lap, buddled in one of their blankets, and both women looked up to give him half-hearted smiles. He rolled his eyes and walked passed them to the kitchen. “I’m fixing tea. Would you two like a cuppa?” He asked over his shoulder as he flipped the kettle on.

“Yes, please!” They called back together, and he pulled the mugs down.

“Beth, how do you take yours?” He asked as he went through the familiar motions of making his and Rose’s.

“Milk and two sugars.” She answered easily, and he nodded. 

When he came back into the living room Beth had sat up to make room for him next to Rose on the sofa. “ _ The Princess Diaries? _ ” He questioned, after handing them their mugs and sitting down.

Rose nodded and pulled her legs up under her. “Feel good movie of the century.” She said, sipping her tea knowingly and giving him a sideways glance he rolled his eyes at.

Halfway through the movie Alec fell asleep on Rose’s shoulder, and she looked up to see Beth was still wide awake, but looking out the window towards the water rather than the screen. She sighed, shifting so that Alec was leaning the other way, and stood up, holding her hand out to Beth. “Come on,” she whispered, “let’s go take a walk.”

Beth ended up calling Ellie as they walked down High Street after they passed the place where she’d seen Mark meet up with Becca a few hours previous. Ellie agreed to meet them in the field that backed their two houses.

Ellie sighed as she made her way through the tall, uncut grass, making out the figures of Rose and Beth. “Hey.” She said quietly when she reached them, giving Beth those pitying eyes that she was beginning to hate.

“I just wanted to tell you that I’ve seen it with my own eyes now… Alec Tyler-Hardy is actually a human being.” Beth joked, earning a laugh from Rose and a surprised look from Ellie.

Ellie sat down beside her. “When did you discover this then?” She asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Went over to see Rose. He made me a cuppa.” Beth answered, nodding. “Didn’t even have to ask or nothing.”

Ellie’s eyes widened at that, and Rose shook her head good-naturedly. Ellie looked down to her watch after a second though. “You went over to theirs at 4:30 in the morning?”

“Actually it was more like one then.” Beth said, getting quieter now that they were entering the territory leading to why she’d called Ellie in the first place. Ellie didn’t bother to ask why, just sent her a questioning look. Beth sighed. “I saw Mark with Becca Fisher tonight.”

Ellie nodded- expecting that. “Does he know you saw him?” Beth shook her head smally. “You need to tell him.” She said. She didn’t know much herself, but as far as she could tell Mark had seemed regretful. “You need to talk to him.”

Beth shook her head vehemently and broke down. “I can’t do it, Elle.”

Ellie’s arms fell around her shoulders at that. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry.” She whispered, pulling her into a hug. “Really, I am.”  _ She didn’t deserve this. _ Next to them Rose reached her hand out, and Beth took it gratefully.

“I have to know, Ellie.” She mumbled eventually. “Is he a suspect?”

Ellie sighed and looked up to Rose who sent her an understanding look in return. She was the DI’s wife. She understood as much as anyone could. Beth didn’t let go of Rose’s hand as Ellie answered that carefully. “There were gaps in his movements… and we really needed him to explain them to us, but he wasn’t willing to do that.” She let out a long breath, but went on before Beth could interrupt. “He has now, but… there’s still some questions. We can’t rule him out for definite yet.”

Beth hung her head at that, and Rose looked up to the church on impulse at the horrifying news- to pray for the woman who was currently squeezing the life out of her hand. Beside her, Ellie followed her gaze and startled slightly when she saw a figure standing in the light of the open door to the chapel. “Who’s that?” She asked.

“Is that Paul?” Beth squinted, trying to make out the silhouette. Rose nodded slowly.

 

An hour later Rose was running the last few metres to her house when she saw the fire on the water. She flung back the door quickly, startling Alec awake. “Alec, the water. Someone is burning something.” She told him frantically.

He stood up quickly at that, wide-eyed as he walked over to the door. They stepped out of it to look at the burning boat on the horizon. Alec cursed eloquently and pulled out his phone to call the officer on duty. When he hung up he looked over to his wife. “Where’s Beth?” He asked, looking around as he just remembered there had been another woman in the house when he’d fallen asleep.

Rose shook her head at the non sequitur. “We went on a walk. Met Ellie. They’re back in Beth’s house now, I think.” She nodded towards the water. “What do you think that is?”

His head snapped back around to it. “Don’t know. Probably evidence.” He let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair. “I need to go down there. Make sure they get someone on it.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll come back in before I go to the station.”

Rose bit back her complaints. “Just take your medicine, yeah?”

He nodded distractedly and stepped back inside to grab his coat. “I’ll see you in a bit.” He promised, kissing her quickly as she nodded.

Looked like she wasn’t getting any sleep tonight then.

 

At seven they finally got the call at the station that SOCO was with the boat’s remains, and they made their way down to the harbour.

“It can’t be Mark Latimer’s boat.” Ellie said, as they approached the van. “That’s still with our forensics.”

Alec nodded as they came up to Brian Young at the back of the forensics van. “Is this it?” He asked shortly.

Brian looked up from his work to the detective. “On Earth, we say ‘Good morning, how you doing?’” He said sarcastically. Alec huffed and looked behind him to the other SOCO members pulling bits of the boat in.

“I’ve told him, makes no difference.” Ellie said lightly.

Alec turned back around. “Is this connected to the Latimer death?” He pressed.

“Traces of accelerant suggest the boat was doused in petrol.” Brain answered. “I’m finding flecks of glass and fibers of cloth within the wood. If I had to guess I’d say a lit rag inside a bottle was used to ignite it.”

Ellie squinted as she processed that. “If someone took the boat out that far at, what, four a.m, to burn it- how’d they get back?”

Brian pointed to place at the edge of the burnt wood. “Well, the rear section had marks where an outboard motor might have gone. They probably used that to get back on another boat.”

“Or there was more than one of them.” Alec said. “Why burn this boat?”

Brain leaned down over the wood as he explained. “This piece my hold the key.” He said, motioning inside the van. “We sent a sample back for match and analysis. Look in the grain.” He told Alec, who pulled his glasses out and leaned closer to the hull. “Strands of hair.”

Alec squinted, mouth agape, as the hair follicles came into focus. “Outstanding!” He yelled genuinely. “Out-bloody-standing!” He stood up and clapped Ellie on the back. “Oh, Miller, we’ve got them!” He exclaimed as her knees buckled and she sent him a reproachful look. He pointed to Brian. “Keep going. I want to know as soon as you have confirmation.” He ordered, and Brian nodded. “Come on, Miller, enough hanging around!” He said, walking past her.

Ellie ran to catch up with him. “That’s cheered you up.” She observed.

“100 quid says that’s the boat they used and those hairs belong to Danny Latimer.” He spoke quickly. “They’re panicking, Miller! Panicking’s fantastic! That is exactly what we want. Starting to show themselves. ” He looked around the pier, lengthening his strides. “I’ll tell you what else- they’re an amateur. They haven’t done this before. That’s too clumsy. Burning the boat like that- and so soon. That’s a big mistake they’ve made.” He lifted the police tape for her, and Ellie stared at the man saying more words in the last 30 seconds than he had in the four days that she’d known him. “That’s like oxygen to us!” He exclaimed rather uncharacteristically. “Breathe it in, Miller! We’re getting somewhere!”

 

He and Ellie sat in the Latimer’s living room silently with the family as they waited for Beth to come back from wherever she’d gone. When the door opened signifying her arrival, Mark immediately reprimanded her. “Where the hell have you been?” He demanded angrily, and Alec’s head snapped around to the man disgustedly.

Beth didn’t bat an eye though. “Running.” She bit back. “Am I not allowed to run, now?” She gave as good as she got. When she came in the room though and spotted the two detectives she sobered. “I didn’t know you were coming.” She spoke more quietly to them.

Alec stood up to give her his chair, and leaned against the armchair Ellie occupied so that he was facing her more than the rest of the family. “Just bringing you up to date.” Ellie explained, and Beth nodded as she sat down. “Okay, uh, we’ve asked forensics to examine Danny’s clothing more closely, and we’re now following up on leads from the house-to-house.”

“Yeah, now that you’ve stopped messing around with me.” Mark interrupted rudely, and Alec glared at him.

“Oh, don’t be a wanker, Mark.” Beth said what Alec had really wanted to, and he bit back his smirk as the rest of the family stared at her.

Ellie did her best to barrel through it. “Uh, we’re holding a public meeting at the school later today. Um, just to keep the town up to date, answer questions… you don’t have to be there.”

“I’m gonna go.” Liz spoke up, sitting forward. “On behalf of all of us.”

“You don’t have to, Mum.” Beth said, speaking much more kindly to her than she had Mark.

“I want to… Keep busy.” She insisted, and Beth nodded understandingly.

Mark interrupted again. “Why is there nothing more in the papers about Danny?” He asked, rubbing his hands together anxiously. “It’s like page 12, couple of paragraphs. Doesn’t he matter?”

Beth looked up to Alec apologetically, but he didn’t see it. “Don’t judge this investigation by what appears in the press.” He told Mark.

“No,” Mark argued. “We were saying if there’s more in the papers, then it might jog people’s memories. What if there’s somebody out there, eh? They might have seen something. They might realise something. If we had more in the papers-”

“Please, let us handle the media.” Alec interrupted, giving him a significant look. The media surrounding Sandbrook had been a disaster, and made the investigation harder than it already was- plus put even more strain on the lives of the family. “We have the experience in this.” He said, glancing over to Beth who nodded.

 

Alec stood in front of the concerned townspeople while Ellie stood in the back with Tom and Fred. Finally, the noise died down with the first question. “We’re all asking, you know, no offense, but why’s it taking so long?”

“Trevor! How many times?” His wife reprimanded him exasperatedly, but Alec answered anyway.

“Multiple complex crime scenes- particularly at the beach. Lack of CCTV in key areas. Uh, absence of witnesses seeing Danny on the night he sneaked out.” He listed the top three. “We’ve a lot of information still to process. We’ll get there.” He looked over to see Rose sitting with Liz Roper and Reverend Paul as he finished, and she nodded encouragingly.

In the back the woman from the caravan park raised her hand. “Susan Wright.” She introduced herself. “How many people do you even have working on it? I heard you were short staffed.”

Alec held back the impulse to roll his eyes at the gossip. “We have the right resources for an investigation of this size. Next question?”

The angry man sitting on the other side of Liz stood up at that. “Now, I’ve just come from the pier and there’s more bloody SOCO covering up the place. What’s that about then?”

Alec bit the inside of his cheek and glanced over to Rose before answering. “Uh, new information came to light overnight. And we have to examine it without contamination.” He explained vaguely.

Trevor’s wife piped up again at that. “Is that the boat that was on fire last night?” She asked, causing curious mumbles to start up. “My brother saw it when he was out with his pots.”

Alec stayed silent for a second as the muttering went through the crowd. “It’s too early to talk about specific types of evidence.” He said over the low din of noise.

The angry man was still standing. “Yeah, but you said the tents would be coming down at any moment, and they’re still there- and now they’re adding bloody great vans!”

“You have to understand the work that is going on there.” Alec shot back. “Every grain of sand has to be gone through. Every cigarette butt or stray hair, shard of plastic, fingernail, toenail, piece of skin- it has to be tested.” He paused and looked around the room. “We will do everything we can to limit the effect it has on your livelihoods… but my priority is to a thorough and efficient investigation.”

“But low-key!” The man insisted. “We don’t want the name Broadchurch to be a byword for murder like Sandbrook!”

More muttering went up at that, and Alec spotted the Daily Herald reporter scribbling madly. He pulled at his ear and glanced over to Rose- who was looking over Paul and Liz’s heads to glare at the angry man with quite a lot of disgust and disdain. The man was apparently unaware that Danny’s grandmother was sat right next to him.

 

When the meeting was dismissed and Rose was able to get a few words into her husband before he had to go, she spotted Liz still sitting there, staring at the far wall silently as the rest of the room filed out. Rose let out a long breath and went over to her. “Hey,” she said gently, taking the seat next to her.

Liz startled, and looked over to her. “Oh, hello Rose-” she broke off to take in what she had been staring at. “I was just admiring your students’ work.” She said, referring to the bulletin board of children’s sunflower art projects.

Rose looked up as well, noticing it for the first time. “That’s Danny’s- the big one in the middle there. Said he didn’t want to do it. That flowers were too girly. Then he went and made the best one in the class.” She told her.

Liz nodded and a half-hearted smile graced her lips. “Sounds like him.” She let out, but it sounded broken, and Rose could tell she was holding back tears. “I promised myself I wouldn’t do this. I’m supposed to be the strong one in all this.” Liz shook her head. “I just want them to catch the sod who did it.”

Rose nodded and held her hand out. Liz took it gratefully. “You’re allowed to be upset too.” Her eyes flickered down to the cross the older woman wore around her neck- similar to the one Rose had on hers. “He’s with God now, looking down on all of us.” She said, and Liz’s eyes flickered over to her hopefully- it was obvious the woman needed religion right now, and it wasn’t something that was spoken of in the house. “It doesn’t make any sense, and it isn’t fair, but we trust that our Lord knows what he’s doing. Danny is safe with him now.”

Liz’s hand held Rose’s tighter at that as she squeezed her eyes shut to hold back the tears. 

A woman came over and interrupted then. “Liz, right? You’re Danny’s grandma?” She asked, and Rose looked up to see Karen White from the  _ Daily Herald. _

She bit back her growl. “They’re not talking to the press.” She told her firmly, and Liz’s head snapped over in surprise.

Karen ignored that. “You’re Rose.” She said, and it wasn’t a question. “Alec Tyler-Hardy’s wife.” Rose only continued to glare at her though, and she looked back over to Liz. “I just want to say- make sure you’re getting the best advice. I’d hate for Danny to be ignored.” She said quietly before walking away, and it was such an obvious tactic. Make it sound like she had the family’s best interest at heart for ‘reporting’- like she only wanted Danny to not be ignored,  but really she only wanted the money and attention that came with breaking the story first.

Liz nodded politely, not letting go of Rose’s hand as the journalist walked away.

 

Steve Connelly caught up to Alec as he was finally able to leave the building full of people grabbing him to ask questions they didn’t bother to speak when the time was. “I told you there was a boat.” He said, matching his strides with the detective’s.

Alec groaned. “Oh, God, you’re just what I need.” He muttered sarcastically. “Great, a boat. There’s hundreds of them around here. You got lucky.”

“Lucky,” Steve scoffed. “Yeah, well did you look for it, eh? Does Beth know you didn’t follow that up?”

Alec rubbed at his brow and halted his progress to the car to turn and stand over Steve. “How about you heed my very strong advice?” He growled. “Stay away from her. Do not get involved. All right?” And with that he pivoted back around, leaving Steve to stand there seething.

 

Ellie ran to meet Susan Wright as they made their way through the car park. “Hi.” She said, once she caught her.

Susan looked over to her disinterestedly. “All right?”

“Um, well,” Ellie started. “It’s just that you said Mark Latimer didn’t fix the burst pipe at the hut on the cliff…”

“Yeah.” Susan confirmed, not looking over to her.

“Well he did. We checked his paperwork. He said he got the keys off you, and you even arranged the check for him.”  Ellie continued.

Susan stopped at that, turning to look at her. “Must have got it wrong.” She said shortly, and then raised her eyebrows. “Now, if you don’t mind, I gotta be somewhere.”

Ellie watched her go, and looked over to see Alec leaning against the passenger side of her car. He gave her a knowing look. “The longer this goes on, the more everyone wants to get involved, sticking their word in.” He complained, sure Ellie had also gotten all the random strangers who felt the need to tell them what they thought happened. “Develop their pet theories.” He bit out. “People getting restless, too many opinions- It’s staring already, I don’t like it.” He was moaning now, his cheery hopeful mood from the morning soiled by too much human interaction. He looked over to see Maggie and Olly approaching them. “Oh here we go again.”

Maggie headed straight for Ellie. “Will you pass on to Beth and Mark, whenever they feel able to talk, come to us, to me. They know we do things properly.”

Alec rolled his eyes at the journalist, but Ellie nodded politely. “Yeah, I’ll make sure they know.” She lied.

“Oh, and um, Oliver has something else to tell you.” She added, looking over to Alec as she motioned to Olly.

“Well, we always love hearing from Oliver.” Alec said sarcastically.

Olly, too his credit, only chuckled good naturedly. “Yeah, I found this, um, on Jack Marshall who runs the newsagents here.” He said, holding up the information he’d gotten late last night. “He was in prison before he came here. He’s got a previous conviction for underage sex.”

Alec straightened up at that, taking the papers from Olly, and giving Ellie a significant look.

 

They called Jack in once they got back to the station.

“Is this about the postman? The one who was arguing with Danny?” Jack asked as the detectives sat across from him

“No, we already talked to him though, and he said he’d never had an argument with Danny that day.” Ellie answered, leaning forward on her hands.

Jack scoffed. “That’s a load of rubbish. I know what I saw.”

Alec wasn’t interested in that line of questioning though. “Tell us about your conviction for sex with a minor, Jack.” He said, getting to the point.

Jack sighed heavily at that. “So, we’re into the muck-raking, are we?”

Alec shook his head smally. “Just want to establish the facts. You didn’t mention it when we spoke.”

“It’s nothing to do with anyone.” Jack continued to evade. “Nothing to do with Danny.”

“You help with the Sea Brigade.” Alec went on. “That requires CRB checks, cross-referenced with the sex offenders register.”

“I am  _ not _ a sex offender.” Jack bit out. “That conviction was a farce. I’m not on any register.”

Alec didn’t miss a beat. “Only because it happened before the register came into being.”

Ellie cut in before Jack could argue that as well. “Why don’t you tell us about it in your own words, Jack?”

He didn’t budge though. “You’ve got the file, haven’t you? I’ve served my time.”

Alec raised his eyebrows. “You should have declared it.”

Jack huffed at that. “Put up a little sign should I?  _ ‘Ex-convict here.’ _ ” He leaned forward. “I came here to get away from that. I’m  _ not _ what you’re insinuating.”

The detective-inspector didn’t blink. “When did you last see Danny Latimer?”

“I told you. The day before he was found. He came in, did his paper round.” Jack reiterated, sitting back.

“What about the night of Danny’s death? Where were you then?” Alec pressed.

Jack paused shortly as he recalled. “In, on my own, reading a book.”

“Anyone vouch for that?”

“Only the book.”

Alec wasn’t amused at his cheek. “Which book?”

“ _ Jude The Obscure. _ ” Jack answered easily, quickly. “You might not like it. Not many pictures.”

Alec wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of acknowledging that dig at his intelligence. He let out a long breath before going on. “We’ve been told you’re a keen amateur photographer, Jack.” He studied the man. “Took a lot of pictures of the boys in the Sea Brigade.”

Jack squinted at him. “And I’ve been told your wife takes a lot of pictures of the children in her Sunday school class. You gonna haul her in for questioning too?”

Alec bit back a growl and curled his fist in his pocket at that. Next to him, Ellie stiffened.  “This isn’t about her.” He bit out. “She hasn’t got a previous conviction for underage sex.  _ You do. _ ”

Jack huffed and leveled Alec with a look. “I really do pity you.” He nodded. “Seeing depravity in perfectly normal behaviour… I’d hate to be in your mind.” Alec’s jaw clenched, but Jack went on. “Now, if you’ve an accusation, or evidence to put to me, let’s hear it. Otherwise, let me get back to work.”

 

A half hour later they were pulling back up to the Latimer house after a call from Beth.

Alec’s blood heated up as soon as he saw Steve Connelly sitting on Beth’s couch. “Oh, you asked us here for this?” He exasperated, shooting Beth a look as he came into the room.

Beth’s head snapped over to Steve. “Tell them.”

Steve stood up slowly. “Danny wants people to know he was killed by someone he knew.”

“Alright this is offensive. I’m calling a halt right now.” Alec said angrily, looking over to Pete and Ellie.

Steve went on though. “I told you about the boat. You didn’t listen, and now you’ve found a boat.”

Beth took a step toward Alec. “I want you to hear him out.” She begged. “Please, just hear him out.”

He looked up to the ceiling and over to Ellie. “Tell her.” He said.

Ellie straightened her shoulders. “Beth… we checked Steve’s record.” She started slowly. “He’s bankrupt for previous convictions for vehicle theft, petty theft, and conspiracy to defraud.”

Beth’s face fell as she looked over to Steve. “What?” She asked, as he frantically exclaimed “No!”

The crestfallen and betrayed look on Beth’s face sent Alec’s blood boiling. He stepped quickly over to Steve, pulling him by the arm. “Right. Out.” He ordered angrily. Steve struggled against him, repeating Beth’s name over and over again, but Alec hauled him out. “Come on!” He growled, and jabbed an accusatory finger towards Pete as he shoved Connelly out of the room. “And you’re a bloody idiot for letting him in!”

Steve called over his shoulder the whole way down the hall. “Beth it’s got nothing to do with this! Beth!”

Alec shoved him out the front door and slammed it behind him. “Look, look, look.” He said, hauling him by the arm away from the house. “I don’t know if you are mentally ill, a liar, or somebody who believes they are telling the truth, but I have to find this killer and prove my case in court.” He growled out. “I deal with fact. All you’re giving her is fantasy.” He paused to look at the man depoloringly. “Pete is now going to escort you to your vehicle. And you are going to stay away from this house. Final warning. I see you again, I will have you in prison.” Alec threatened him furiously, and then stepped away to watch Pete take him by the elbow.

Back inside he paused in the doorway to the sitting room. “Why would he do that?” Beth asked Ellie frantically. “He’s got nothing to gain. I haven’t given him any money.”

Ellie sighed. “Look, Beth. In two weeks he’ll speak to the press. In six months he’ll write a book:  _ How I Solved the Broadchurch Murder.  _ If you go into the bookshops in town all those books are in there.” She explained, and watched as Beth’s face fell in understanding.

“Oh my God…” She whispered, sitting back on the couch, voice hollow. “I’m so alone.”

Ellie’s heart clenched. “Beth, have you spoken to Mark?”

“I can’t!” She answered.

“You’ve got to.” Ellie pleaded.

Beth looked up to Alec who was shaking his head- clearly he didn’t agree, but he stopped when he caught Beth’s eye and sighed heavily. “This happened in Sandbrook, too.” He told her, hoping that could lend some semblance of comfort. “You should call Rose.”

Beth let out an odd sound at that- like a single-syllabled, self-pitying laugh. “She has to be sick of me by now.”

Alec shook his head in vehement denial. “She’s Rose.” He said simply, as if that explained it- but apparently it did, as Beth conceded with a small nod.

 

Ellie looked over to him as they made their way through the church graveyard. “Are you still coming to dinner?” She asked, but went on before Alec had a chance to reply. “Only Joe’s going shopping today, so you can’t back out now.”

“I said, didn’t I?” Alec answered, and moved on quickly. “What are we asking this vicar?”

“Uh, he was flagged in the house-to-house as one of the few without an alibi on the night Danny was killed.” She informed him.

Alec paused as he processed that. He went to church every Sunday, but he hadn’t had many (if any) conversations with the vicar. It was Rose (and Daisy) who really knew him. “Do you know him well?” He asked Ellie.

“Not really. He’s only been here a couple years.” Ellie answered, picking her feet up through the high grass. “And we’re not really churchgoers.” She added over her shoulder. “Midnight mass, Easter- if we remember.”

Alec squinted at the back of her head. “If you  _ remember Easter? _ ” He asked incredulously.

“Well we’re normally doing Easter egg hunts.” Ellie defended.

“And so did Christianity fall.” Alec replied dryly, unable to help himself.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “What about you then? You religious?” She asked. She knew Rose was of course, but that didn’t mean he didn’t only attend church for her.

“Yeah.” Alec answered easily, but then felt the immediate need to cover up the personal information. “I pray nightly you’ll stop asking me questions.” He added at a deadpan. Ellie glared at him over her shoulder at that, and he smirked, taking the opportunity to walk past her.

Eventually they made it up the hill to where Reverend Paul Coates was sitting on the bench with an iPad. “Oh, hello. Didn’t know you’d be coming by or I would’ve been somewhere a lot easier to get to.” He said, as they came up to him.

“Oh, it’s alright.” Ellie answered easily, smiling as she took a seat next to him. “Was a lovely walk.”

Paul looked over to Alec as he continued to stand there, hands in his pockets as he took in the view. It was odd, being on a first name basis with both his wife and daughter, but having no idea how to address him himself. He found he was always at a loss for words when it came to the singular male-member of the Tyler-Hardy family- despite the fact that he attended the service every Sunday. “So,” He started, when Alec finally sat down, bypassing naming-conventions for fear of making it awkward. “How are Rose and Daisy, then?”

Alec let out a long breath. “Good, good. They’re good.” He answered, not looking over as he continued to survey the view of the town.

Paul nodded, and Ellie saved him from having to reply by getting straight to business. “Paul, we wanted to ask you a few questions pertaining to the case.” She told him.

Paul tilted his head at that. He’s already told as much as he could to the officers who’d done the door-to-door, but he shrugged nonetheless. “Alright.”

“How well did you know Danny and the Latimer family?” Alec asked.

“Well, Liz, his grandmother, she’s one of our sidesmen.” He said, making a vague ‘as-you-know’ gesture in Alec’s direction. “And I used to teach the IT club at Danny’s school.”

“Oh yeah, Tom did that too.” Ellie commented, and Paul nodded.

“So you knew Danny quite well?” Alec went on.

Paul let out a breath, tilting his head in consideration. “Well, I wouldn’t say really well… Um, he was a quick learner- same as Tom. They were good kids, both of them.”

“And why are you taking the IT club?” Alec squinted over to him.

“Well I try to connect with the community in whatever way I can.” He answered easily. “Plus, I got asked to.” He added. “I think the last teacher who really understood computers had a nervous breakdown.”

Ellie brightened at that. “Oh yeah, Mr. Broughton! He used to sit there and laugh to himself. We had to get him to leave.”

Paul nodded. “Yeah… I’m one up from the man who sits there giggling to himself.” He observed, and then shook his head at the thought.

Alec was getting bored of the small talk. “Where were you on the night of Danny’s death?” He asked, getting to the point. He wasn’t particularly suspicious of the vicar- but that’s why they were there. To see if his story was still the same nearly a week later.

Paul looked over to him, surprised. “I did talk to your uniformed officers about this.” He said questioningly, not knowing how it all worked.

Alec nodded. “I know.”

Paul processed that for a second before answering. “Well, I was at home. On my own. I live in the house at the bottom of the hill. I was up late trying to write a sermon.” He told them easily, same as he had before. “ _ Trying _ being the operative word.” He sighed, holding up his iPad for emphasis.

“Are you often up late?” Ellie asked as she took that in. “You know I was on the verge side, about 4:30 last night- I saw you standing outside the church.” She told him.

“Oh, was that you?” He asked surprised, silently wondering who the other two figures he saw her with were. “Okay… uh… yeah.” He sighed, not really expecting having to delve into this. “I have terrible insomnia.” He told them. “Have had for about six or seven years. I can’t find anything to cure it so I’m often up late wandering- it’s my best attempt to deal with it.”

“Anything specific that triggered it?” Alec asked.

Paul paused, biting the inside of his cheek as he considered that. He could lie. That was his first instinct. But well- Rose knew. It stood to reason that Alec would find out one way or another, and then how would that look? He sighed and scrubbed at his brow. “I’m… I’m well a- a recovering alcoholic.” He admitted, struggling with the words.

Alec didn’t blink at the news. He hadn’t known. But, well- who was he to judge the vicar? “For how long?”

“Seven years now. Since I found God.” He answered honestly, clutching his iPad. “Haven’t had a drink in 473 days.”

“You go to meetings then?” Ellie asked.

“In Yeovil. So it will be anonymous. Won’t run into parishioners…” He drifted off and let out a long suffering sigh. “I’d appreciate if you’d keep this to yourselves. The only other person in town who knows is Rose.”

Alec raised his eyebrows at that, and opened his mouth to comment, but Ellie beat him to it. “Jesus, is there anyone in town who doesn’t use that woman as a confidant?” She asked incredulously, earning a snort from Paul.

“Yeah well. She happened to have caught a glance at my calendar when she was asking about teaching Sunday school.” He explained.

Alec’s eyebrows raised impossibly further at that. “So literally _the day_ _after_ we moved into town?” He asked, honestly surprised at his own wife’s ability to get so involved so quickly.

Ellie shook her head, closing her eyes in stunned silence. “Rose was asking about teaching Sunday school  _ the day after you got here? _ ” She reiterated.

Alec shrugged, shaking his head. “It was a Sunday.”

Paul chuckled at that. Rose had been incredibly anxious to get as involved in the church as she could as quickly as she could. It was obvious that she was the exact opposite of her husband in that she couldn’t sit still without first making sure that everyone knew she was there for anyone who needed. When she’d saw the mark off of sober days and the AA meetings on his calendar, Rose had immediately reached out and grabbed his hand- informing him that it was okay, and she was there for him if he needed her to be.

Alec cleared his throat, anxious to move on from conversation about his wife- it bordered too close to personal now. “Were you out wandering that Thursday night then?” He asked.

Paul sat back as he tried to remember. “If I was I don’t remember it. Nothing stood out, no.”

Alec looked around again, considering his next question. “How was Danny with computers?” He requested curiously, wondering if there could be a reason not much had been found on his laptop yet.

“Great.” Paul answered easily. “They just instinctively get it.” He smirked and looked over to Ellie. “I mean, like I say, with Danny and Tom, you only had to tell them once and they got it.”

They both nodded slowly, and with that anticlimactic question, ended their interview with the vicar.

 

Moments later they stood at the archway where Ellie had seen Paul standing the night before. “Line of sight… You can see the field that backs onto the Latimer house. And my house too.” Ellie observed, and then clenched and unclenched her hands a few times anxiously as they observed the town. “I hate what I’m becoming.” She mumbled eventually.

“A good detective?” Alec challenged.

Ellie sighed. “Hardened.” She corrected.

 

As the sun began to make it’s way down the westward expanse of the sky, Rose sat at the Latimer house with Beth- as she hated being alone anymore. Each member of her family coming home slowly. One after the other. All having been gone dealing with their grief separately.

After Mark, the last of the Latimers to arrive back at the house, came in through the door, Liz came into the sitting room to sit down across from Rose and Beth carefully. Rose raised her eyebrows suspiciously, and sipped her tea as she waited for the woman to say whatever was clearly on her mind.

When Mark came back downstairs and leaned against the doorway, Liz closed her eyes, and spoke slowly. “I’ve called Karen White… from the  _ Daily Herald. _ ”

“Mum!” Beth exclaimed, while beside her Rose’s eyes widened.

“We don’t have to talk to her.” Liz pressed. “Let’s just hear what she has to say.”

From the doorway, Mark nodded. “Yeah, I like that idea. It could help.”

Rose bit back her retort and all of the arguments coming to mind. She was there to support Beth. Not to insert herself into the family’s drama and discussions. Beth glared at her husband, and looked over to her daughter, who was curled up on the chair silently. “What do you think, Chloe?” She asked.

Chloe shrugged noncommittally. “I’ve met her. She seemed okay, I guess. Didn’t Ellie and Detective Hardy want us to stay away from reporters though?”

At that everyone turned to Rose- effectively ruining her resolution to stay silent. She swallowed. “It… tends to make investigations harder- when they become high profile.” She started explaining slowly, careful not to add her own less-than-stellar opinions on the subject. “Not just for the investigators, but for the families as well… It attracts an influx of people who want to get involved- and not always for the best reasons.”

“But doesn’t that mean they get more information too?” Mark argued.

Rose let out a long breath. “Technically, yeah… But most of the time it’s useless.”

“But it  _ could _ help though, couldn’t it?” He pressed.

Rose sighed. Mark was going to keep pushing until she said what he wanted. Going to keep phrasing the questions differently until he heard what he wanted to hear. “Yeah, I guess, technically, it  _ could _ .” She relented. And there was a knock on the door.

When Mark led Karen into the room her eyes immediately fell on Rose. “Wow… Rose Tyler-Hardy, you are just  _ everywhere, _ aren’t you?” She asked, not kindly, as she studied the detective’s wife- clearly analysing her for a story.

Rose glared at the insinuation, but no one else seemed to catch it. Liz stood up. “Let’s take this outside shall we?” She suggested. “It’s getting a bit cramped in here.” 

Rose had meant to stay inside with Pete, maybe occasionally glance out the window, but Beth turned to her as she stood up. “Come with us.” She said. Rose opened her mouth to argue that it wasn’t her place, but Beth went on. “I want you to. Please?” She asked, eyes pleading, and Rose couldn’t very well say no.

She sat on the ground though, pulling absently at the grass as the family sat around the table with Karen. Intent on keeping her mouth shut- even if she needed to be there for Beth’s comfort.

“I’m not here to hassle.” Karen started. “I’ve been here since day one and I’ve left you alone.”

Rose couldn’t stop the snort that escaped her. Tracking down and following around each of the family members individually and surreptitiously vying for an interview? That’s leaving them alone, is it?

Marks head swivelled around to look down at her unkindly. “Yeah Rose, like you’re one to talk. What are you even doing here?” He snapped at her.

Rose squinted up at him, nostrils flaring- wondering how a man who had been cheating on his wife the night their son was murdered could possibly justify talking down to the woman who was helping his wife cope while he ran off all day doing God knows what. Beth seemed to think the same thing. “Jesus, Mark. Quit being such a bloody arsehole. She’s here because I asked her to be.” She bit out, glaring at her husband.

A silence passed over them then, until finally Karen sat forward. “I just… I think this should be getting more coverage.” She said.

“Yeah,” Mark agreed, looking around. “So what shall we do, then?”

Karen let out a long breath. “Okay, you’re not gonna like this… but the reason Danny’s death isn’t getting the attention it deserves is it’s not the right profile.” She explained quickly. “Had Danny been a girl with blonde hair and a few years younger, then this place would be crawling with reporters by now.”

Beth pulled her chin back at that, and Rose sat forward, ready to either reach her hand out or pull her away altogether. “I hope you’re kidding.” Beth said incredulously.

“I’m sorry. It’s just the way it works.” Karen apologised. Silently, Rose wondered how the family did not see from that comment how bad of an idea it was. Why were they considering getting involved in an industry that operates like that? What good do they think it’s going to do? “11-year-old boys go missing from home all the time.” Karen went on.

“So we’re just going to get ignored then?” Mark said, and Rose wondered how deprived he must be that he needed attention from his son’s murder. She was really starting to hate him. Rose bit her lip as she realised what she was doing though, and grabbed at her cross necklace in silent apology. She had a policy against judging others. She knew she couldn’t possibly understand the lives of all of the people in front of her. It just wasn’t her place. She was here to be a hand to hold for Beth. Nothing more. Nothing less. She was letting her protective streak get the better of her.

As Rose silently reprimanded herself, Karen leveled Beth with a look. “If you want more focus on this case, then it’s gonna have to come from you, Beth.”

Rose’s head snapped up at that, and Beth squinted at the reporter incredulously. “Me? Why me?”

“You tell us your side of things, how it’s been for you- every mum will respond.” Karen explained, unable to keep the excited tones out of her voice.

Beth sat back at that. “I don’t know.” She said, looking around to her family. “Do we want this?” She shook her head, and looked over to Rose for half a second, and then back to Karen. “And shouldn’t we clear it with the police?”

Karen blinked at that, but was saved from responding when Liz interrupted. “It’s  _ The Herald. _ ” She said, as if that said it all. “I read  _ The Herald. _ ”

Chloe spoke up then. “What if she shows us what she’s written before she sends it?” She suggested, looking to her mum.

Mark nodded. “That’s a good idea. Would you do that?”

Karen hesitated though. “Well, not normally… Maybe this time if I can get a photo- of Beth and Danny- to go with the article.”

Mark sat back and took in his family. “What do we think?” He asked, but all of them looked to Beth for the answer.

Beth felt like she was being put on the spot. She looked over to Rose, who kept her face carefully neutral from any opinions, only there to support her in whatever decision she made. She looked to Mark, who was watching her expectantly- waiting for her to say what he wanted. Finally, she nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

And as her heart beat wildly, she missed the defeated breath that Rose let out.

 

Rose sighed heavily as she came through her front door, and startled when she turned around to see Alec had beaten her home. “Since when do you get back before midnight?” She asked, raising an eyebrow as she set her bag down.

He was sitting at the dining table, a stack of papers in front of him- obviously unwilling to leave the work itself. Rose came up to wrap his arms around his shoulders as he hummed noncommittally. She looked behind her to the kitchen counter and squinted at the wine, flowers, and chocolate. “What’s all that then?” She asked, getting him to look up finally.

“For dinner, tonight. Didn’t know what to get so I just got them all.”

She tilted her head down at her adorable husband and ran her fingers through his hair. “Bless.” She said lovingly, earning an eye roll from him. “Think we’ll just take the wine though.” She wrinkled her nose a bit and he nodded. “Daisy can have the daisies.” She added with a smirk.

At that, the daughter is question came through the door, and Rose raised her eyebrows- she hadn’t known she wasn’t in her room. “Where have you been, then?” Next to her, Alec stiffened as he realised she hadn’t been out with her mum.

Daisy’s eyes flickered between her parents upset looks confusedly. “Out?” She answered slowly, “I went to go see Laura-”

Rose held her hand up to cut her off, and closed her eyes against the impulse to yell. “Daisy, you have to tell us when you leave the house, and where you’re going.”

She squinted at her parents uncharacteristically stern faces. “Why? I’ve never had to before-”

“There wasn’t a child murderer out there before!” Alec interrupted her loudly, and Daisy took a step back.

“Well  _ I’m _ not gonna go and get myself murdered, am I?” She shot back, offended and hurt. “It’s broad daylight out and Laura’s house is just 50 metres away! You didn’t even know I was gone!”

Rose shook her head. “Yeah, that’s our  _ point, _ Daisy! We need to know where you are!”

Daisy glared at her mum, and crossed her arms as she looked to her dad. “Well if either of you were ever  _ home _ it wouldn’t be a problem, would it?” She bit out angrily, not waiting for a reply as she stormed off to her room- slamming the door behind her.

Alec sighed and dropped his glasses to the table, scrubbing his hands down his face. How could they even begin to respond to that one? It’s not like they could argue it. Rose huffed as she sat down heavily beside him.

“This is the third murder investigation in seven years.” She let out eventually, staring unseeingly at the file in front of her. “Does she even remember a time when you weren’t dealing with a murder case?”

“Do you?” Alec asked dryly, and Rose made a small sound of agreement. He sighed. “This is why we left London. Sandbrook had lower crime rates- we get there and three years later a child is killed. Broadchurch had the lowest this side of the map- then we show up and not  _ three weeks _ pass before a body is found. We can’t bloody escape it, Rose.”

She nodded, fingering her cross necklace as she did. “I keep telling myself God is taking us where we need to be.” She told him, and then looked up miserably. “But why can’t we be needed doing something else?” She shook her head as the tears threatened to fall. “I’d take anything over this.”

Alec nodded. “It gets worse every time.”

“We were worried you were getting jaded in London, but  _ this _ is worse. This is so much worse.” Rose closed her eyes and the day’s events came back to her. She let out a long suffering breath. “Beth agreed to talk to Karen White today.” She told him, not looking up from the table grain.

Alec’s eyes widened. “What?” He growled.

Rose shook her head. “I know. I tried to tell them. But they wouldn’t listen- well, Mark wouldn’t listen. And Beth still listens to him.” She rubbed at the headache forming behind her eyes as Alec groaned.

Eventually, by silent agreement they stood to go find their daughter. She was sitting on her bed, knees pulled up to her chest, with a silent progression of tears flowing down her face as she stared at the ceiling. “Oh, sweetheart…” Alec started, going over to sit on one side of his daughter while Rose took the other. “We’re sorry.”

Daisy shook her head. “It’s not your fault.” She let out miserably.

“Doesn’t make us any less sorry.” Rose said, wrapping her arm around her.

Daisy sniffed pathetically. “I know it’s selfish- cos you two have got to worry about other people who’ve got it worse. But I just really miss you.” She sobbed and leaned over to bury her face in her father’s chest- effectively breaking both her parents’ hearts.

 

An hour later they’d managed to sooth Daisy back into her normal chipper self and they were knocking on the Miller’s front door.

“Oh, you’re in a suit!” Ellie said by way of greeting.

Daisy rolled her eyes and smirked. “He’s  _ always _ in suit, don’t worry.” She assured her.

Ellie bit back her laugh as Alec gave his daughter a reproachful look and she just grinned up to him cheekily- clearly unaffected by the face that so often brought criminals to their knees. He sighed and held out the bottle in his hand. “We brought wine.” He said awkwardly.

Ellie smiled and glanced up to Rose who was failing to hide her amusement. “Thank you, you didn’t have to do that.” She said politely, taking the wine. “Come in.” She added, opening the door up wider to allow the small family entrance.

She led them through to the kitchen where Joe was washing up at the sink. “They’re here.” She announced. “And Alec brought wine.” She informed Joe, purposefully keeping the attention on her boss just to see him squirm. “I can call you Alec tonight, can’t I? Not  _ Hardy _ or  _ sir… _ ”

Alec sighed, and opened his mouth to answer, but behind him Rose rolled her eyes and leaned against the counter. “Oh, here we go.” She mumbled, and beside her her daughter giggled.

He glared at his wife, but went on anyway. “I don’t… I don’t like ‘Alec’- I’ve never liked Alec… Alec.” He said, pulling on his ear as he enunciated his name like it had done him a great disservice. Behind him his wife and daughter shared knowing looks.

Joe gave him a weird look at that. “You could always choose another one.” He joked.

Alec wrinkled his nose and turned to Ellie. “Why does everyone use first names so much, like they all work in marketing? Why do people insist on doing that?” He started on his spiel. “I mean- if you look at a person- I look at you. You know I'm talking to you.” He sighed. “I don’t need to say your name three times to congratulate myself on remembering it- to create some sense of false intimacy or…” He trailed off as he noticed the perplexed looks Ellie and Joe were giving him. 

Rose rolled her eyes and put a hand on Ellie’s arm. “You can call him Alec.” She said with a nod, throwing a cheeky grin over her shoulder to her husband.

Ellie smiled thankfully at the woman, not sure how Alec would make it through daily social interactions without her- she imagined quite terribly. She shook her head and ushered them into the dining room, calling Tom down as she did.

“I don’t know mate,” Joe started as he came in behind them. “I’m still on board for you changing your name. How would you feel about John Smith? Simple. Easy enough.”

Alec wrinkled his nose, and Daisy giggled at the familiar look. “Dad always says he only likes two names.” She informed the Millers matter of factly. “Rose and Daisy.”

Alec closed his eyes at that while Rose made a surprised noise sort of like an aborted laugh, and Ellie’s hand fell to her heart. “Oh, bless him.” She teased him even while she felt like her entire world view was just been taken and flipped completely upside down. She sent Rose a wide-eyed look that she just mouthed ‘I told you so’ to in return. 

“And with that I think we should sit down.” Rose let out, patting her husband’s arm comfortingly.

Tom came down the stairs as they were all taking their seats, nodding politely to them all before sitting next to his mum across from Daisy.

After that they didn’t have to worry too much about conversation- as the kids almost immediately entered a rousing debate over which was better: Harry Potter or the Hunger Games, and the adults intermittently added their own opinions and questions to the mix.

Eventually though, after Tom had admitted defeat to Daisy’s vast knowledge of the Harry Potter books, the grown-ups went back to grown-up discourse while Daisy and Tom continued a quieter discussion over whether they believed Dumbledore had done the right thing in giving Harry to the Dursleys.

“So, how did you two meet?” Rose asked the Millers, sitting forward to place her chin on her fist, eyes glowing excitedly, while her husband rolled his eyes behind her.

Ellie answered easily though with a smirk. “Through work- Joe used to be a paramedic.”

Rose tilted her head. “Use to be?” She repeated.

He swallowed his food and nodded. “Gave it up when Fred came along- was getting a bit jaded anyway. More red tape all the time- stuff keeping us from helping, masquerading as health and safety.”

She nodded understandingly. “Yeah that’s why we left London.” She informed them, ignoring Alec’s huff behind her.

“You’re from London originally then?” Ellie asked.

“I am. Alec’s from Edinburgh. Obviously.” She smirked.

“How did you two meet then?” Joe furrowed his brow.

Rose looked over to Alec- silently allowing him to control the conversation again. He sighed, but took the reins gratefully nonetheless. “When I was promoted to DS in Glasgow I was transferred to Scotland Yard.” He said, clearing his throat and sniffing as he ran his fingers along the stem of his wine glass. “Met Rose there in London while working a case.” He looked to his wife, surreptitiously asking if she wanted to provide more detail than that.

Rose let out a good-natured laugh. “Let’s just say I didn’t exactly used to run with the best crowds.” She said, wrinkling her nose a bit.

Ellie caught the tone though and quickly moved on before her husband could try to pry. “What about London made you jaded?” She asked her boss.

“There was just… so much murder.” He answered, shaking his head. “Most of it senseless. It got to the point where it was just… another body.”

Rose nodded in agreement. “We dealt with one high profile murder after Daisy was born and then decided we wouldn’t do it again. But well, clearly…” She drifted off with a wave of her hand and a long suffering sigh.

A long silence followed that until Joe broke it with a hard look toward Alec. “Do you think you’ll solve this case?” He asked suddenly.

Rose blinked in surprise at the DS’s husband while Ellie reprimanded him with a sharp “Joe!” but Alec didn’t hesitate before answering- setting Joe with a hard look of his own. “Certainly.” He said.

Joe studied him for a long moment before finally he said “Good.” and took another casual bite of his dinner.

Ellie let out a long breath before moving to stand up. “Well,” she started. “I’m going to go get dessert then.”

Rose stood to follow. “I’ll help.” She offered, picking up her’s and Alec’s plates to take with her to the kitchen.

“Tom, why don’t you go show Daisy that Harry Potter thing you were-”

“It’s called a  _ Horcrux,  _ Mum.” Her son interrupted her exasperatedly.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Yes, that. Run along before I make you help clear the dishes.” She warned them, and they didn’t need telling twice- making an immediate beeline for the stairs, their mums sharing knowing looks. Ellie turned back to their husbands before they left. “You two, no more work talk.” She warned, and then disappeared round the corner with Rose in tow.

“Sorry about that.” Ellie sighed as she pulled the pudding from the fridge.

Rose smiled over to her, setting the dishes down in the sink. “Oh, don’t worry about it.” She waved off her apologies. “We understand.”

“Nah, I’m sure he’s all used to you never asking any questions about it.” Ellie replied, smirking.

Rose looked up to the ceiling as she considered that. “Didn’t used to be that way.” She said eventually. “Back in London I used to nag him all the time about it whenever a case got high profile.” She shrugged. “But we eventually realised that that wasn’t fair to either of us. He couldn’t answer and it was unfair of me to ask him to. And all it did was make me feel like I wasn’t worth telling or that he didn’t trust me- even though obviously that wasn’t true.” She let out a long breath and leaned against the counter. “It took a whole lot of trial and error to make our relationship work… but it was worth it.”

Ellie smiled at that. “Clearly.” She said honestly, “I’m not sure he’d even be human without you.”

Rose laughed and shook her head. It was hardly the first time she’d been told she humanized the detective-inspector.

Ellie took a deep breath and looked to Rose seriously. “I wanted to thank you- for everything you’re doing for Beth. I feel awful I can’t be there myself-“

“She understands.” Rose cut her off. “She’d rather you be working on bringing it all to an end than sitting around with her.”

“Still,” Ellie insisted. “What you’re doing means a lot. You didn’t have to.”

Rose smiled sadly at that. “Yeah, I do.” She said quietly. “If I don’t, who will?” She asked the Universe in general, and with that took two of the desert plates and headed back toward the dining room- calling the kids back down as she went.

Ellie watched her go, blinking rapidly as she put all that together. Rose was clearly unselfish to the point of being detrimental to herself. Ellie worried that if the woman cared anymore she might just possibly explode.

What she couldn’t decide though is if she was the exact opposite of Alec- or in fact, incredibly similar to him.

When she came after Rose into the dining room their respective husbands were laughing about something as Rose stood in the doorway squinting at that. Their laughter increased at Ellie’s arrival. “What? What is it?” She asked.

Rose shook her head. “No idea. They won’t tell me.” She rolled her eyes and sent Ellie a significant look before setting down the two plates she carried at Tom and Daisy’s seats and calling for them again.

Once they were all seated again, Ellie picked up her fork and looked to Rose. “So, have you got any Summer plans then?” She asked. “What is it that teachers do when they don’t have class? I’ve always wondered.”

Rose giggled. “Well honestly: teach. I’ve still got Sunday School classes, and I teach Youth Group on Wednesday nights.” She informed them, and then pointed over to her daughter. “Daisy will be joining those this Summer too now that she’s old enough.”

Daisy nodded excitedly at that. “On to high school now aren’t we Tom?” She grinned.

“Wow so you’re really involved with the church then.” Joe mused, sitting forward a bit.

“I try to be, yeah.” Rose nodded. “I wasn’t raised religious, but I found a lot of comfort in it when I got older.” She explained, though it was obvious there was a much longer story behind the words. She grinned cheekily all the sudden. “You lot should come in for Wednesday service tomorrow.” She offered.

Alec let out a long suffering sigh at that and rolled his eyes. “Oh, here we go.”

“No, no, no!” Rose corrected him quickly. “No pressure or anything! I get that church isn’t really  _ for _ everyone- religious or otherwise.”

Daisy jumped in at that. “Yeah I have loads of friends who don’t really get church all that much but have lots of fun in youth group. You’d like it, Tom.” She offered.

Alec shook his head. “The church doesn’t need to pass out flyers, they have these two as the marketing team.” He teased them, ruffling Daisy’s hair- making her laugh and shove his hand away.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking maybe we should go.” Joe said, surprising both his wife and son.

“Really?” Both Ellie and Tom said together, though Tom sounded more excited while Ellie sounded skeptical. 

Joe shrugged. “Yeah, I don’t know. I just felt the thing.” He answered vaguely.

The adults all nodded at that explanation though- it was a familiar feeling. One that most adults would feel in their lives from time to time- religious or otherwise. Especially in times like these.

 

 

_ [Wednesday, 24th of July] _

The next morning both Alec and Ellie ended up in the office despite church being in an hour. Alec was staring at the  _ Daily Herald.  _ The headline read **MY DANNY** next to a picture of Beth Latimer and a three page spread followed. The byline was Katherine White. Rose had warned him, of course, but it didn’t make seeing it any less irritating.

“Why has she done this?” He asked exasperatedly, throwing the paper back down.

Ellie tilted her head. “It’s reads alright to me.”

“I asked her not to.” He mumbled, rubbing at the headache forming between his brows. “It’s opened the floodgates. The media officer’s been deluged with calls already.” He shook his head and took his glasses off. “I’m calling a conference for this evening- a family statement- try and keep as much control over this as we can.”

Ellie nodded in agreement and wrote that down.

Alec went on. “In the meantime, I want full background checks on Jack Marshall, Steve Connelly, and Paul Coates. Anyone without an alibi goes to top of our list.”

She wrote that down as well too. “I’ll get Frank and Nish in it.” She said, and then put the pen down. “Off to church then?”

Alec nodded distantly. “Yeah, and listen, don’t tell Rose I said- but keep an eye out. Check who’s behaving normally. Apparently, most of the town will be there today.” He told her.

Ellie furrowed her brow- she hadn’t expected that, but in the end… it made sense. On more than a few accounts. She nodded.

Rose and Daisy had gone to the Latimer’s house first thing to walk with them and the Millers to the church at Beth’s request.

She couldn’t help but hear Nigel when he came up behind her to speak to Mark. “I’ve gotta tell you before we go in,” he whispered. “I saw Olly Stevens and Jack Marshall yesterday- from what I can make out, Jack’s got a history with kids.” He paused. “Bad stuff.”

Rose sucked in a breath at that gossip, but she didn’t get to hear Mark’s reply as suddenly lenses were flashing bright and photographers were clamoring to get Beth to look at them. “Beth! Beth! Over here!” They called, and Rose immediately stepped between them while Nige and Mark moved to shield them all from the grabby cameramen.

“Just let them through!” Nigel yelled, managing to shove through the crowd to carve a way for the women and children to get through the church gates.

Ellie and Alec came running up then, but it was Ellie who was yelling. “Away now, or I’ll have you all arrested!” She bit out, flashing her badge while Alec stood menacingly behind her in silent backup of that promise.

“We’re not breaking the law!” One of the sleeze balls protested indignantly.

“Have some bloody decency!” She shot back, and then pointed to all of them. “Lenses down or I will kick you all in the balls.” She growled, and Alec pulled her by the shoulder into the gates with one last hateful glare towards the photographers from both of them.

“You did not hear me say that.” Ellie added when she spotted Tom standing with Chloe and Daisy.

Chloe snorted and started them all walking towards the church again. “Your mom’s awesome.” She informed Tom.

He nodded, grinning. “I know.”

Inside, Rose wasn’t surprised to find their normal seats at the front vacant, but she didn’t move towards them. Instead directing the Latimer’s, the Miller’s, Nigel, and the Tyler-Hardy’s towards the middle pews- as protected from prying eyes as possible.

Liz, Beth, Chloe, Mark, and Nigel took the front of the two rows while Ellie, Joe (with Fred), Tom, Daisy, Rose and Alec took the back. The rest of the town filed in around them. 

Rose didn’t miss the way her husband was cataloging every new face that entered- especially those who hadn’t been there last week. Her and Daisy shared a knowing look, but otherwise ignored it.

Beth turned around just before the service began. “Come for lunch today.” She said to Ellie. It was something she’d brought up to Rose later on a whim, but now found herself determined to follow through.

It was Joe who questioned it though. “What?” He asked incredulously, eyes flickering over to Mark.

Mark looked over his shoulder at that, smiling. “Like we always do.” He said, getting their point across with as few words as possible- to get back to normalcy. “Nige is cooking.” He added, and Nigel turned to smile broadly at that.

Ellie looked to Alec in silent question- it was the middle of the work day after all. Beth caught the detective’s eye as well with a pleading look, and he didn’t miss the way his wife was watching him seriously. Finally, he nodded- both in answer to Ellie’s request for permission, and Beth’s offer for him to join along with Rose and Daisy’s earlier invitation. They wouldn’t have anything to do after all until those background checks came through, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a proper lunch break.

Rose patted his leg with a tongue-touched smile he revelled in, but both their faces fell as Jack Marshall entered the chapel. The whole lot of them turned to see the newsagent enter- whether they knew what for or not.

“Didn’t know he was religious.” Joe mumbled.

“I didn’t know we were.” Ellie returned fairly.

Rose, however, watched the looks Nige and Mark shared. She could feel the storm brewing now. Already it had been pouring- but lightning was about to strike.

Reverend Paul approached the podium, and Rose allowed the sermon to wash over her- to fill her with hope in a never ending sea of doubts.

_ “We are pressed on every side by troubles, _ _   
_ _ But we are not crushed. _ _   
_ _ We are perplexed,  _ _   
_ _ But not driven to despair. _ _   
_ _ We are hunted down,  _ _   
_ _ But never abandoned by God. _ _   
_ _ We are knocked down, _ _   
_ __ But we are not destroyed.

_ We are not destroyed. _ _   
_ _ Nor will we be.” _

Later, at the Latimer’s, Rose sat with Chloe on the front porch, watching Tom and Daisy kick a football around the front yard. Beth was with Liz and Ellie in the kitchen, working on side dishes, while Nigel, Joe, Mark, and Alec were in the back garden drinking beers and grilling.

Chloe sighed as another car drove unnaturally slowly past the house. Either curious townsfolk or prying photographers- her and Rose were making a game of it. Rose glanced sideways to the teenager and sat back a bit. She saw a lot of her younger self in Beth’s daughter (and she reckoned Beth saw a lot of herself in her as well- though was probably much slower to admit that). “How have you been doing, Chlo?” She asked, studying the girl’s profile.

Chloe shrugged noncommittally. “As well as I could be, y’know-” she looked over her shoulder, “not great.”

Rose gave a half-hearted smile at that and nodded. “I’ve seen you with that boy around town-” she started.

Chloe’s head whipped around at that to stare at her incredulously. “Jesus is there anything you don’t know?” She asked her.

Rose smirked at that. She didn’t know who killed her brother- but she wasn’t going to point  _ that _ out. “I’m not going to tell your parents, but I do think you should. Dean’s a nice kid-”

“You’ve met him?” Chloe interrupted her again.

“He volunteers with the books at church.” Rose informed her, and Chloe nodded- remembering that Dean’s parents made him do that when he was younger, and it just sort of stuck. Rose spent a lot of time there- she was bound to run into him. “But, as I was saying. If there’s any parents on this planet that would understand it would be yours.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. She was fifteen. Dean was eighteen. Exactly like Mark and Beth had been when they got pregnant with her. If anything, it gave them more cause than any other parents to be angry and distrustful, and it was hardly the time to give them another thing to worry about. Chloe looked over to Rose and squinted. “What about you?” She asked her instead of answering Rose’s silent question. “You’re about Mum’s age…”

Rose laughed and shook her head at that- not missing the subject change, but going with it anyway. “I was nineteen when I met Alec. He was twenty-seven.” She shrugged. “Bigger age-gap than your parents, but an older one. We got married two years later and had Daisy a year after that- a complete accident, mind you, but a happy one…” She drifted off and watched her daughter run around for a few moments as the memories flooded her.

She hadn’t been in a great place when she met Alec- or even a good one. She’d dropped out of school at sixteen before taking her A-levels to follow her shit boyfriend around, allowing him to abuse her mentally, physically, and sexually everyday for four years. They were living in a crack den, full of heroin addicts and prostitutes. Then one day there was a fight, and a gun was pulled, and shots were fired… and cops were called.

Rose had been the only one still there with the body when Alec arrived. Tears streaming down her face, covered in blood, as she attempted to hold together her dying best friend. Mickey had only been there to try to get her away from Jimmy. _ He shouldn’t have been- he shouldn’t have died. _

She let out a shuddering breath as the scene replayed in her head.  _ Alec prying her away from Mickey’s body, holding her as she sobbed… _ She surreptitiously wiped a tear from her eye and looked over to Chloe who was watching her curiously. 

“Let’s just say I didn’t meet Alec in a coffee shop.” She let out, shaking her head.

Seeing the look on Rose’s face, even without knowing the story behind her eyes, it was the first time Chloe felt sure DI Alec Tyler-Hardy was going to find her little brother’s killer.

Alec was sitting at the garden table picking at his drink’s label, carefully avoiding actually  _ drinking _ the alcoholic beverage for fear of Rose hanging him by his fingernails. He watched Mark and Nigel laughing over something across from him as Joe went back inside for another beer. He flashed back to the conversation him and Rose had had the previous night.

_ “I just don’t understand how a husband could do that.” Alec had said to her after Rose had mentioned being awake for the last 48 hours- since Beth found out about Mark and Becca Fischer. _

_ Rose shrugged, rolling over in bed so that she was facing her husband as he stared at the ceiling. “We can’t know what’s going on in someone else’s marriage. You and me- we lucked out. That doesn’t mean it’s our place to judge anyone else.” She preached. _

_ “He’s been a right arse though.” Alec grumbled. _

_ Rose sighed. “He’s lost his son. Everyone deals with grief differently. Mark clearly bottles it all up until he lashes out at whoever’s around him.” _

_ Alec glanced over to his ever-so-trusting wife. “What if it’s him, Rose?” He asked, the late hour loosening his tongue. _

_ She shook her head. “Then why would he be so keen to get the story out there and have people come forward?” She asked fairly, and Alec had to give her that. “Bedsides, I just… I don’t see it.” She added. _

_ He raised his brow at that. “How can you be sure?” _

_ Rose yawned, closing her eyes and snuggling into his side. “Was right about Sandbrook wasn’ I?” She mumbled as his arm went around her. “I’m good at reading people.” _

_ Alec tilted his head and pressed a kiss to her hair. “You’d be a great cop.” He told her. _

_ Rose laughed. “Nah, it’d break my heart.” She said, placing her palm over his chest to further hit home her point. _

He shook his head, bringing himself back into the present as Nigel was saying something to him. “What, sorry?” He asked, blinking a bit.

Nige laughed and Alec realised for the first time that in his stupor Mark had followed Joe inside. “Was just saying that it’s weird seeing you like this- human an’ all.” He took a drink. “Beth was sayin’ earlier about you- but I said I didn’t believe it.”

Alec held back the impulse to roll his his eyes and tell him to piss off. “I’m not always working.” He said instead.

Nige shook his head. “Nah, you are. I see yah round town- studying people all the time. Don’t mind it though. Not if it means catchin’ Danny’s killer.” He drifted off, eyes falling to the window where he could see Beth and Mark in the kitchen. “They deserve justice.”

Alec nodded, not feeling the need to reply to that out loud. 

Joe rejoined them then. “Was just talking to Rose, mate.” He informed the DI with a smirk. “Beth went and reminded her  _ you’re _ supposed to be hanging garden boxes in her classroom.”

Alec did roll his eyes then. “That woman’s always got me doing something.” He complained, but chuckled good-naturedly.

“Oh, you know you love it.” Joe replied, and Alec couldn’t help but tilt his head in agreement. 

Nigel and Joe walked back over to the grill a bit later just as Mark was sitting down next to Alec. “Becca said something interesting to me a few weeks ago.” He said by way of greeting.

Alec bit back his snarky retort at the mention of Mark’s mistress, and let out a long breath. “Did she?” He asked, not bothering to sound like he was genuinely interested.

Mark ignored the tone. “Said you and Rose were the best evidence there was for soulmates.” He nodded as Alec did look up at that. Mark sighed and picked at his beer’s label. “How do you two do it, mate?”

Alec sighed, getting the implication- that Beth and him were unhappy long before this and even before he’d slept with Becca Fischer. “Well, we  _ talk _ to each other for one.” Alec told him, deciding to answer honestly despite how uncomfortable it made him- if only for Beth’s sake.

Mark nodded shortly- expecting that. He looked over to see Nige and Joe pulling the meat off the grill. “Looks like dinner’s served.” He said, standing up and getting Alec to do the same. Together they followed the other two men into the dining room.

Dinner went well enough. Happy conversation mixed with sad, knowing glances. The kids managed to keep the adults from getting too deep in serious conversation, and Rose managed to keep everyone’s questions for the detectives at bay.

And then there was a knock on the door.

Alec and Ellie straightened up defensively as soon as Jack Marshall entered the room, and Rose knew right then that the rumors were true. She held her breath as Mark walked around the table. “Everything all right, Jack?” He asked shortly, stepping closer to the man with Nige following right behind him.

Jack held out his hand. “I uh… I found this.” He said, and in his palm was Danny’s mobile. The detectives stood up immediately at the sight. “Heard the beeping from the delivery bags. It was in the bag at the bottom… He must have left it on his last round.” He swallowed at the large group of people staring at him reproachfully.

“Yeah, that’s Danny’s phone innit it?” Mark observed emotionlessly, pulling the device from Jack’s hand.

Ellie picked up a napkin. “Mark, I’ll take it. Give it here.” She ordered, holding the napkin out to him on her palm across the table.

He ignored her, tapping the phone against his hand. “What are you doing with this then, Jack?”

“Mark.” Alec warned him gruffly, and he sighed, tossing it into Ellie’s waiting hand.

Jack took a deep breath. “Mark, Beth…” He started. “They’re going to be saying things about me and-” He said, with a small nod towards Alec and Ellie.

“What sorts of things?” Mark interrupted, speaking like he was holding himself back.

“-Those things aren’t true.” Jack continued like Mark hadn’t spoken. Alec took the napkin-wrapped mobile from Ellie carefully while he surreptitiously pushed Tom and Daisy further behind him.

Liz stepped around them and over to the newsagent. “Jack, come on, love.” She said, pushing him towards the door.

Jack resisted her, determined now to say his piece. “Things happened before I came here. And they’ll be saying I did it.” He said, and Beth’s hand flew to her mouth as Rose went to put an arm around her. “I’m looking you in the eye, because he was your boy, and I’m telling you I am not that kind of man.” Beth’s breath caught in her throat as he looked to her. “Please, believe me.” He begged. “You have to believe me.”

Flashing lights filled the room suddenly, as photographers clamored at the kitchen window from the other side of the fence. “Those bastards!” Mark muttered, running towards the door without a second thought.

Joe took off after him. “I’m with you, mate!” He called, Nige close on his heels.

“Wait!” Alec yelled. “Shit.” He tossed the phone down and ran after them, following Mark out the gate while Joe and Nige moved towards the garden hose.

“Piss off!” Mark was screaming as he ran towards them. “Go on! Get away! Go on!” He pushed the photographers back from his house as he shouted.

“Public property this!” One of them argued. “We’ve got a right to be here!”

Alec came around the corner then. “Get out of here.” He growled, flashing his badge. “And if I see you anywhere near here again I swear to God I will have you all thrown in prison.”

“Out the way!” Nige called over the fence before they could protest some more, and him and Joe sprayed the photographers with the hose, laughing as they did.

Mark shook his head and leant heavily against the fence as they finally ran off. “What have we done to ourselves, eh?” He mumbled.

Alec let out a long breath and came next to him, not having an answer to that.

Rose stayed next to Beth as Ellie and Liz got Jack to leave. She shook her head mutely. “What’s happening?” She whispered, tears in her eyes. “What is happening to us?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna aim to post the last three chapters over the next three weeks :)


	5. Episode V

_ [Thursday, 25th of July] _

At nine o’clock Thursday night, nearly the entire town of Broadchurch gathered to follow Tom Miller on his skateboard down high street. Beth, Rose, and Ellie walked arm in arm while Daisy clutched Beth’s hand tightly, and Chloe kept her arm around the younger girl’s shoulders. Alec and Mark walked behind them.

Mark glanced over as they passed the newsagents to see Jack Marshall standing outside the shop- watching the proceedings from a distance. “Do you think it was him?” He asked.

Alec glanced over to see who Mark was talking about and looked sideways at him once he saw. “I’m not speculating about anybody.” He said, shaking his head.

“Yeah, you might not be, but everybody else is.” Mark shot back.

Alec sighed. “Well, people need to calm down.”

“They’ll  _ calm down _ as soon as you arrest someone.” Mark said bitterly, imitating Alec’s accent mockingly on the emphasis if for no more reason than to annoy him. 

Alec didn’t feel the need to answer that, nodding shortly to Rose when she turned around to meet his eye worriedly.

 

_ BBC World News _ was airing the footage when Rose turned on the telly a couple hours later. Alec let out a long breath as he sat down next to her. “National news now.” Rose observed, watching herself and Beth go across the screen. Alec made a noncommittal noise in response, and Rose muted the broadcast as she turned to him. “Beth told Mark she knows about Becca Fischer.”

Alec squinted over to her. “When’d she do that?” He asked incredulously.

Rose shrugged. “Wednesday night, before the press conference.”

“Christ…” He muttered, and pulled his wife closer on impulse.

Rose closed her eyes as she listened to his heart beat against his chest. A little slow, she could hear the struggle, but there nonetheless. “Are you going back into work?” She asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah.” He sighed, looking down at his watch. “Miller’s probably already there… Why don’t you take one of those sleeping pills the doctor gave you?” He asked, feeling guilty that him not sleeping meant she didn’t either.

Rose shook her head. “Don’t like what they do to me. Wake up all sweaty feeling like I’ve been in a coma. Rather just be tired than disoriented.” She stretched her arms out in front of her and reached for her laptop. “I’ll just scroll through some more listings until Daisy wakes up. Maybe we’ll go look at some of them in the morning.”

Alec nodded slowly, watching her pull up a file full of bookmarked houses. “Find anything you like yet?”

Rose pulled up the four-bedroom on the coast she kept going back to and flipped through the pictures for him to see. “I really love this.” She whispered, pointing to the picture window.

Alec shoved his glasses on to get a better look. “Yeah, four bedrooms though? Do we need that much space?”

Rose sighed and looked up to him at that. “I don’t know, Alec. Will we?”

And that threw Alec for a loop. They’d talked about having more kids- of course they had. When they’d first married it was their plan to have an army of them. But it’d gotten away from them. Life had kept happening. Daisy had even been an accident. “Do you…” He swallowed. “Do you want to have another baby?”

She shrugged, turning back to the screen, and Alec studied her profile in the bright light from the computer. “I don’t know… Not now, definitely- not with everything that’s going on.” She looked up to him again. “But I don’t want to rule it out.”

He kissed her deeply at that, finally pulling away to rest his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry things keep getting in the way.” He whispered.

Rose reached up to run a hand through his hair. “I don’t blame you. And I’m not completely faultless.” She assured him, and her hand fell down to grip at his too-loose jacket sleeve. She giggled as her thoughts wandered. “You need new clothes.” She said, derailing the serious conversation.

Alec huffed as he sat back, picking at his suit. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

Rose just laughed again, rolling her eyes as she opened a new tab for men’s clothing- knowing full well she’d have to order online as there was no way in hell she’d get him to go shopping.

 

Ellie glanced up as Alec entered the offices, and squinted at the odd expression on his face. “Are you all right, sir?” She asked.

When he looked up to her it was like he’d just been pulled from very deep and not-at-all connected thoughts. He shook his head distractedly. “Yeah, yeah. You got anything?”

“Um,” she looked down to her desk and pulled the file she’d just been going through. “Yeah. List of boats reported missing in the last month.”

“Any matches?” He asked, glancing at it.

“No.” She answered, and then pulled the other file. “Also, details from North Yorkshire. That cold case we got a call about. Er, young girl, 10 years old. Raped and killed. Um… her body was found on top of a cliff at Whitby. She’d been stabbed. So, it’s nothing like this MO.”

Alec sighed at the picture of the young girl who looked too much like his daughter. “I’ll look at it.” He said, flipping the file closed. “What else?”

“Uh, forensics on the boat and the phone. The hairs found on the boat were a match for Danny’s. And, on the phone- Mark’s prints, but he handled it. Danny’s DNA and Jack Marshall’s, which tallies with him finding it.”

Alec raised his eyebrows. “Or he claimed to find it because he knew his DNA was already on it.”

“Funny thing is,” Ellie started, furrowing her brow. “Mark confirmed the phone was Danny’s when Jack handed it to him, but… I always saw Danny with a smartphone like Tom’s.

Alec glanced sideways as he tried to recall the few times he’d seen Danny. “Yeah, I may have done too- now that I think about it. Daisy said something about wanting one, maybe she’d gotten the idea from him.” He shook his head and sighed. “How does a kid his age have two phones? How could he afford this other one?”

“The cash we found in his room?” Ellie offered.

“Could that money have come from Jack Marshall?” He speculated.

Ellie squinted, looking down as she shrugged smally. None of it made any sense.

Alec let out a long breath. “Did you see your son at the end tonight?” He asked, changing the subject only slightly.

She shook her head. “Only a bit. He just wanted to go home. I don’t think he would have done it had he not met you and Rose and Daisy the other night.”

He stood up at that, inhaling deeply. “He did good.” He told her, nodding. “You tell him he’s a good lad for me.”

She smiled half-heartedly as he walked into his office.

 

_ [Friday, 26th of July] _

Alec went back home around one in the morning, if for no more reason other than for Rose to get some sleep. He was gone by six-thirty though for a meeting with the Ellie and the Chief Super Elaine Jenkins in his office.

“How credible is Jack Marshall as a suspect?” Jenkins asked, holding up the Daily Herald with the front-page news story on the newsagent’s history with children. The title ‘ **I DID NOT KILL YOUR SON** ’ in big bold letters next to the photo they’d taken through the Latimer’s kitchen window.

Alec leaned back in his desk chair. “Strong links to Danny, he doesn’t have an alibi for the night, he had Danny’s phone in his possession.”

Jenkins seemed to consider this for a moment before sighing. “Who else is possible?” She pressed.

“The Dad, Mark- was very quick to lie about where he was. Had an alibi all set to go. Even now there’s still two hours missing from his alibi.” Alec answered quickly, but went on as he recalled previous conversations. “But his actions since then don’t really align with those of a killer- talking to journalists, begging for witnesses.”

Ellie was holding her head in her hand from where she was turned sideways on the sofa. “That could just mean he wants us thrown off the scent though.” She mumbled.

Alec raised his brows at that. “You’ve changed your tune.” He observed. It may have been bordering on impressed.

Jenkins looked between the both of them. “Do you think it’s possible?” She asked, looking more towards Ellie as she did.

Ellie shrugged noncommittally along with Alec. “I don’t know.” She said, shaking her head. “Tom said Mark used to hit him, but only the one time, a while back.” She looked up to Alec. “But Daisy said she thought Danny was keeping secrets, and that doesn’t really follow.”

Alec inhaled at that. “Meaning it would make sense if he knew his killer well.” He said. “There’s Paul Coates- local vicar, no alibi, taught Danny about computers, church overlooks the back of the Latimer house, recovering alcoholic… we’re running background checks.”

“Well you know him better than us.” Jenkins said, squinting at him. “Do you think he could have done it?”

Alec sniffed, furrowing his brow as he thought how to answer that. “I think anyone’s  _ capable _ . But from what I do know about him, he’s not at the top of my list, no.”

Jenkins nodded slowly. “Tread carefully, we can do without offending the church.”

Alec shoved his glasses on as he looked away. “Better hope it’s not him then.” He replied flippantly, and Ellie couldn’t help but give a small smirk at the snark.

 

Paul Coates was helping Becca Fischer with her books later that morning. She’d asked shortly after Rose had texted him saying she wouldn’t be stopping by, and he’d gotten used to having company in the church over the last week. He figured the Trader’s Hotel was as good a place as any to not die of boredom.

He’d have to learn to be careful what he wished for.

Paul sighed as he scrolled through her numbers. “You are a year behind your projections with no sign of an upturn. And your... income forecast compared with your real income…”

“Stinks, right?” Becca sat back, shaking her head. “You've seen what the weather's been like and now…”

“Yeah well the bank is demanding a repayment of ten grand within 42 days or they repossess?” He read allowed, looking up to her incredulously. His eyes widened though when behind her Beth Latimer stepped through the door. “Beth?” 

Becca immediately stood up as she turned to see the woman standing there. “Beth, I didn't expect to see you… Do you want a drink?” 

Beth had picked up the nearest wine glass, and without a word smashed it into the floor, picking up the next four and doing the same to them as well. Paul jumped up, attempting to get around Becca and the smashed glass now scattering the floor as Beth continued on her rampage. “What?” He sputtered.

“OK, that's enough!” Becca screamed, but Beth didn’t slow down, moving to turn on all the beer taps and shoving Becca off of her as she tried to grab her. “For Christ's sake! All right, that's enough! Enough!”

Beth threw the crisp packets at her next- not bothering to aim for her feet this time. “I'm doing your windows next.” She bit out. 

“I'm sorry, it was a mistake.” Becca managed to get between being hit with food.

“Too right it was!” Beth yelled back, emphasising her point with another crisp packet to the face. “My husband! Cos I will nail you to the floor before I let you wreck 15 years of my life!” She yelled, pulling her elbow away from Paul as he came up to her.

“I am sorry. If we'd known what was gonna happen-” She started.

“Don't you dare.” Beth cut her off, practically growling. “Don't you dare bring that into it. Come near my family again and I'll break your fucking face.”

“Okay.” Becca nodded, beer still pouring out onto the floor behind her. “Understood.” 

Paul pulled at her arm again. “Let's get some air.”

“Do you know what she did?” Beth yelled, not taking her eyes off the woman.

“Yeah, I'm getting the gist.” Paul answered, giving Becca a reproachful look as he finally got Beth to turn towards the door, and he followed her out without another word.

He had his phone to his ear before they reached the pavement. “Who are you calling?” Beth demanded, still seething.

Paul barely held back the impulse to roll his eyes. “Who do you think?” He said. “Rose.” He answered her and the woman in question as the DI’s wife picked up on the third ring. “Yeah, are you busy?”

 

Daisy had been invited to the arcade with Tom, Fred, and Joe that morning, so Rose had abandoned her plans of house-searching, and stopped instead by the  _ Echo _ , talking to Maggie about the fueled and biased article on Jack Marshall from the  _ Herald _ that morning.

She laughed at Maggie’s comment on tabloids passing themselves off as investigative journalism, and didn’t miss the look Olly was giving them from the other side of the room. “So what about you then, Mags?” Rose asked her, biting her lip on a grin. “Done any  _ investigating _ yourself recently?”

Maggie’s eyes glimmered a bit at that. “Oh, wouldn’t you like to know.” She teased, but went on at Rose’s raised brows. “Actually, I’ve been looking into one woman in particular recently. Do you know a woman by the name of Susan Wright?”

Rose furrowed her brow at that, frowning a bit. “Sounds familiar… Does she live around here?”

Maggie nodded. “Yeah, the caravan park near the cliffs. Only… I just recently discovered she used to go by another name. Elaine Jones. I asked her about it, but she wouldn’t give me anything. Actually, she broke in the other night and threatened me.” Maggie had dropped her voice to a whisper.

Rose’s eyes widened. “Oh my God, Maggie-”

The older woman shook her head. “No, I’m not worried. I can take care of myself. It’s just interesting, because she’s definitely hiding something. Which normally wouldn’t be so bad, but nowadays…” She drifted off.

Rose nodded understandingly. “Do you think you should report it?”

“Well, I was going to ask you that.” She admitted.

Rose shrugged, not necessarily surprised by the question. “Could be important. If you don’t want to make a formal report you could always just bring it up to Alec or Ellie- make it their call.” She stopped short of further explanation on the logistics of it as her mobile started ringing. Her brow furrowed as she saw Paul’s name on the screen and she accepted it with a quick apology to Maggie. “Hello?”

“Rose.” He said. “Yeah, are you busy?”

She frowned at that and excused herself, walking out onto the High Street and looking around- spotting Paul and Beth almost instantly. Beth looking worse for ware, even more so than usual. “Mm no, I see you. Be there in a sec.” She answered shortly, hanging up and running across the street at an angle towards the Trader’s- knowing full well what  _ that _ meant.

“Is she gonna press charges?” She said by way of greeting, not needing an explanation.

Beth huffed and crossed her arms, looking out around her, while Paul shook his head. “I don’t imagine she’d have the nerve. But you might want to go in there just to be sure.”

Beth made a protesting sound at that and looked up to Rose. “Do not apologise to her for me.” She grumbled. “She doesn’t deserve an apology.”

Rose smirked at that. “Yeah, I promise I won’t.” She said, and watched Beth’s defenses fall. She looked over to Paul again. “How about you two head back to the house, and I’ll catch you up in a bit.” Paul nodded in agreement and she raised her brow at Beth in silent question. After only a moment of hesitation she nodded too, and Rose patted her arm before heading into the hotel.

Becca was sweeping up a sea of shattered glass when Rose stepped into the lounge. Rose whistled low as she surveyed the damage, and Becca sighed, standing up and pushing her hair from her face. “Did Paul send you in here to clean up after her?” She bit out.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t try and take the high ground, Becca. You had to know this was coming.” She threw back, not missing a beat as she picked up the mop by the door and moved behind the bar to where the smell of yeast was near unbearable.

“Well if you're on her side then why are you helping me?” Becca asked her incredulously.

Rose huffed as she poured cleaning fluid into the bucket at her feet. “Because I’m not one to fight fire with fire, and as disappointed as I am- in both you and Mark, I get that the situation is a lot more complicated now.” She looked up to her. “And as deplorable as I may find your actions, and as much as I may think you  _ kind of _ deserved this-” she made a motion to the mess around them, “that’s not really my place. Clearly you need help right now, and I’m offering.” Rose shrugged. “Take it or leave it.”

Becca let out a long breath, and finally she nodded thankfully. Rose smirked and resumed her task of cleaning the beer from the floor.

 

Alec was staring at a list of alibis and statements when his phone rang with a call from Rose. “Everything all right?” He asked as greeting, unused to her calling over texting in the middle of the day.

Wind from the other end of the line told him she was walking outside somewhere. “Yeah, on my way to Beth’s house. She had a bit of a run-in with Becca Fischer. Had to clean that mess up- literally and figuratively.”

Alec sighed, sitting back in his chair and rubbing at the bridge of his nose where his glasses were digging into his skin. “Well, can’t say I didn’t see that coming. Is she gonna press charges?” He asked, just as Ellie stepped into his office- she sent him a questioning look that he ignored.

“Nah, I dealt with it.” She answered- much to his relief. “Had an interesting chat with Maggie though before. She might stop in later if she gets the time. Just thought I should warn you. Are you doing okay? You don’t normally answer. How’s your heart?”

Alec filed away the comment on Maggie Radcliffe for later. “Yeah, fine. Just happened to have been staring at the same thing for the last hour when you called.” He glanced up to Ellie as she was whispering loudly to tell Rose hello from her. “Miller says hi.” He sighed, and rolled his eyes at the twin amused laughs from the girls. “I should probably get back to work now. Yeah, goodbye, love you.”

Ellie grinned as she sat down on the sofa. “You’re so cute when you’re being a loving husband.” She teased him, mostly just to watch him squirm. He cleared his throat awkwardly, tossing his glasses down as he did, and Ellie bit back a laugh. “Speaking of loving husbands, did Rose tell you Daisy is out with Joe and my boys today?”

Alec squinted at that. He hadn’t exactly ruled Joe out of the possible list of suspects yet- but he wasn’t about to tell his DS that. And, to be fair, he hadn’t ruled out Paul Coates yet either and Daisy spent plenty of time at church- Rose even more so. If he attempted to keep them away from every person he even half-way suspected they’d never be able to leave the house (not that they’d listen to him anyway if he tried). “Tom and Daisy have been fast friends.” He observed instead. “Think it’s because of Danny?”

Ellie opened her mouth to reply, and tease him about freely bringing up personal topics, but a uniform walked in before she could get a word out. “Sir, ma’am, Jack Marshall is here. I’ve put him in 3. He says he wants to talk to you.”

The two detectives shared interested glances at that, and stood to go see what it was about.

Jack Marshall threw  _ The Daily Herald  _ roughly down on the table as soon as they walked in. Alec sighed and sat heavily across from him. “You could make a complaint to them.” He offered, already bored.

“Would that stop them?” Jack asked.

“Honestly? No.” Alec answered, blinking tiredly as he inhaled deeply. “But, if you cooperate with us a bit more, we can clear you of all suspicion.” It wasn’t the whole truth- but, it did certainly have the capability of helping them both.

Jack scoffed. “You think I haven't heard that before? ‘Cooperate and we’ll make it alright.’ Next thing I’m being charged.”

“All I want,” Alec started, leaning in, “is to get to the truth of Danny Latimer’s death.”

 

Rose let herself in with the spare key Beth had given her, and peeked around the corner to see Paul and her in the kitchen, both with cuppas. She gave Beth a comforting smile and moved to the kettle as she continued to talk to Paul.

“-I want to apologise.” Beth was saying. “Not to her- to you.” She shook her head incredulously. “I can’t believe I did it…” She breathed, gaining chuckles from both Paul and Rose, and she smirked. “I can, actually. I can believe it… God, it felt good.” She turned to Rose suddenly. “Do you think I’ll have to pay her? I’m not paying her anything. She can whistle for that.”

Rose shook her head, leaning against the counter with tea in hand. “Nah, I dealt with it. Don’t think she would’ve anyway, but people tend to listen when the DI’s wife tells you not to do something.” She attempted to use the mug to hide her smile, but failed miserably.

Paul sighed, “Beth,” he started seriously, gaining her attention again. “Have you thought about maybe seeing a bereavement counselor?” 

Rose pressed her lips together and looked down to her tea as her friend’s face fell. “I don’t wanna see a counselor.” Beth said. “A counselor will want me to stop being angry. I need my anger. It’s all I’ve got right now.” She closed her eyes and looked around for a moment before speaking again. “Mark knows about the pregnancy.” She practically whispered, as though maybe her volume would make the situation less true.

Rose looked back up incredulously at that. “I didn’t know  _ Paul _ knew about the pregnancy- no offense, Paul.” 

Beth nodded slowly along with Paul. “I went looking for you at the church the other day, but you weren’t there. Paul found me having a bit of a nervous breakdown.” She admitted.

“Oh my God, Beth, I’m so sorry-” Rose started.

“Don’t be. I know you can’t be at my every beck and call, Rose.”

Rose shook her head guiltily though. “Doesn’t mean I can’t try.” She mumbled, and Paul made a silent resolution to talk to Rose about her insistence on carrying everyone else’s burdens. 

The vicar let out a long breath. “So what did Mark say then?” He asked, bringing the conversation back around. “About the baby?”

“He said I had to keep it.” Beth answered bitterly, and Rose couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose at the phrasing- wondering if that’s really how Mark had put it.

“I think he’s right.” Paul said, and he missed the glare Rose gave him.

“Oh well, if the men think that’s what’s best, let’s do it.” Beth shot back snarkily, and Rose couldn’t help the proud smirk the comment brought. Paul set his cup down exasperatedly, opening his mouth to say something, but Beth went on. “I hate it,” she declared miserably, “this thing growing inside me. I don’t want it. It’s not right. Danny should be growing. I’m not done with him yet. I want him.”

Both their faces fell at that. Paul looked down to the table while Rose’s brow furrowed with her frown.

Beth took a deep breath and continued as she looked around. “I had one job as his mum. Get him ready for the world. Set him up to meet it, and be the best he could be. And I  _ failed _ him. I let him down.”

“No, you didn’t!” Paul protested quickly. “He was taken.”

“Why?” Beth shot back angrily. “Why did  _ your _ God create him and then take him back?” She was near screaming now as tears sprang to her eyes.

“I don’t know.” Paul answered honestly. “...Some people say that He takes the ones He loves the most first.”

Beth’s mouth fell open at that. “Pretty bloody selfish God.”

Paul shook his head. “I don’t know the reasons… I just know that this is the life we have and we have to accept that.”

“Why?” Beth demanded, her frustration clear along with with her pain- like a double edged sword. “Why should I have to accept  _ this? _ What did I do wrong? Why am I being punished?”

Paul stood up. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I wish I did.”

Beth turned back to Rose, and Rose set her mug down as she took a deep breath, folding her arms loosely at her hips. “Sometimes… sometimes horrible things happen to good people. I don’t know why. I wish I did.” She repeated Paul’s sentiments as she thought how to go about this. “I don’t know why Danny was taken. We’ll never have an answer to that. Even once his killer is caught, there’s no justifying it.” She walked over and took Beth’s hand in hers. “I know all you want right now is to wake up and find out this last week was just one huge long horrible nightmare. I know all you want is to be able to hug Danny again… But most of the time God doesn’t give us what we want. He gives us what we need.”

Beth’s free hand fell to her stomach and she opened her mouth to protest, but Rose cut her off.

“I’m not telling you what to do. And I’ll support you no matter what you decide on this… But, just try not to think of it as a replacement. Try to think of it as a second chance.”

 

Rose was surprised to find Alec already home when she got back later that evening- the sun hadn’t even set yet. “Hey?” She greeted him, but it came out as a question.

He was sifting through a file at the kitchen table, glasses set askew on the tip of his nose, he only glanced up at her entrance. “Slow day.” He answered her silent question, flipping the file closed with a tired sigh. “Figured I could stare at the same pieces of evidence just as well at home as I could at the office.” He wrapped an arm around his wife’s waist as she came up next to him, running her fingers through his hair. He leant into her touch, and set his glasses down. “What sort of secrets could an eleven year old boy have?” He muttered.

Rose didn’t miss that he’d decided to dwell out loud on the one piece of evidence she did actually have knowledge of- their daughter’s interview. She sat down in the chair next to him and began tracing mindless patterns in the skin of his hands. “The things you’d have asked if you had a time machine, yeah?”

“No, if I had a bloody time machine I would have told him to stay his scrawny arse in bed Thursday night.” Alec grumbled, and Rose smirked, reaching out to press down an errant hair near his ear.

“Well, you were an eleven year old boy once.” She said, answering his original question. “What sort of secrets did you have?”

He furrowed his brow at that. “I hardly had a textbook childhood. And even if I did, kids grow up so differently now- what with the internet and smartphones and whatever other bullshit.”

Rose just rolled her eyes at that.

 

_ [Saturday, 27th of July] _

“Flowers die for the sake of others.” Paul said suddenly as Rose sat amongst the church pews, head bent over her notebook as she wrote down lesson plans.

She looked up to him at his voice, mind still struggling to catch up with his words. “Pardon?” She asked, shaking her head minutely.

Paul sighed and moved to sit on the bench across from her in the aisle. “Something I must have read once,” he told her. “We cut roses for ourselves, and kill it as we love it.” He studied her seriously. “I worry we’re doing the same to you.”

Rose blinked slowly as she processed that. She bit her lip and set her pen down, searching her mind for a response. “You shouldn’t worry about me.” She said finally.

“Actually, I think I should.” Paul argued, not missing a beat. “When is the last time you slept more than four hours?”

She shook her head- it was so much more complicated than that. “I’m okay, Paul. Really.” She insisted.

“I know you are  _ now, _ Rose, but you’re spreading yourself thin. Between being a wife, a mother, a best friend, and a teacher- All while the town is grieving the loss of a boy your husband is investigating, your daughter was friends with, your best friend was the mother of, and you yourself taught-”

“I know it’s a lot.” Rose interrupted him. “But I  _ promise you, _ I’ve dealt with more before.” She sighed, turning so that she was facing him more fully. “I like being able to help. I pray everyday that God puts me where I need to be, and I have to believe that that is why I am here.”

Paul let out a long breath at that. “I just worry that you’re taking on the weight of the world.”

Rose closed her eyes, breathing deeply. It was true, she was a lot like Alec in that way. Not that a lot of people knew it- but they both tended to take personal responsibility in things that weren’t in their control. It was killing Alec though, literally. He bore the weight like guilt, where as Rose willingly took that weight and worked at it- making it smaller. She’d dealt with  _ so much _ before, but she was able to overcome all that. Now she knew she could help others do the same, and that gift was one she intended to use. 

She sighed, knowing there was no way she’d be able to get this across to the vicar without telling him her entire life story- which she’d really rather not. “I’m okay. Promise.” She said again instead, putting as much insistence and sincerity into the words as she could.

 

Alec and Ellie followed Jack Marshall through the back entrance to the newsagent’s early Saturday morning.

“How is this allowed to happen?” Jack ranted angrily, gesturing to the half a dozen or so reporters clamoring outside his shop- all with cameras and microphones as they jumped over the posted signs in a frenzied attempt to see in. “I need police protection. I’m under siege.”

“Has anyone threatened you?” Ellie asked. “Physically intimidated you?”

“Do you not see that lot? I’m under siege!” He insisted.

Alec raised his brows boredly at the six men with cameras- ‘siege’ was a bit of an overstatement. “Just stay inside.” He said. “Bit of luck, it’ll abate soon enough.”

“Stay inside?” Jack repeated incredulously. “You get ‘em away from here! I’ve got a shop to run!”

Alec sighed. “Yeah, well, not today.” He replied tiredly, keeping his hands in his pockets.

“You’re doing this deliberately.” Jack accused. “Seeing if I’ll crack. You’ve got me marked, and nothing will make any difference.”

“We don’t work like that.” Alec replied, shaking his head. “But you have kept things back from us.”

A long moment passed where Jack breathed heavily, opening and closing his mouth a few times as he worked up the courage to speak. “I was a music teacher. She was a pupil.” He said finally, not making eye contact. “No boys involved. A girl.” He looked up. “I’m sure you can fill in the gaps.”

Alec crossed his arms. “You had sex with a pupil?”

“I had a relationship.” Jack corrected.

“Who made the first move?” Alec asked.

“It was a mutual attraction.”

“And you had sex… how many times?” The DI continued his line of questioning.

Jack glared at him. “You think I put notches on my bedpost?”

Alec remained unfazed. “Who told the police?”

“Her father.” Jack sighed. “I was made an example of. Served a year… I was lucky to make it out alive.” He took a few deep breaths. “She was fifteen years and eleven months. Another four weeks and a day and nothing would have been amiss.” He nodded shortly. “I served my time.”

“For God’s sake.”  Alec mumbled, shaking his head. “You should have told us this when we first asked.”

“It was nobody’s business but mine.”

Alec stared at him incredulously, so Ellie spoke up before he punched the man. “Did you have any contact with the girl after you were released?” She asked.

“I married her.” He answered, and Alec spun away exasperatedly at that. “The week after I was released. She was seventeen. I was forty.”

 

When he stepped outside he was only mildly surprised to find his wife and the vicar standing just across the way. “What are you doing here?” He asked them both as Ellie came up behind him.

“What are you doing to protect Jack Marshall?” Paul demanded heatedly before Rose could apologise. She sent her husband an apologetic look anyway. Paul had insisted on coming to the newsagent’s after Jack had called him in an angry panic.

Alec’s eyes flickered minutely towards Rose’s before he answered. “How is that any of your concern?” He bit out.

Paul didn’t back down. “He’s my parishioner. I spoke to him first thing! He’s terrified!”

Ellie answered before Alec could yell. “We were just in there. There’s two uniform outside now trying to keep the press at bay.”

“Well they’re not doing a very good job!” Paul replied. “Because there is an innocent and scared man being hounded, and you need to do something about it.”

Rose sighed and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. Alec appreciated the gesture even as he was royally pissed off at the moment. “You’re certain he’s innocent, eh?” He shot back towards the vicar.

Paul squinted at the DI. “You’re certain he’s not?”

Alec studied the vicar reproachfully for a moment. “Your concern’s been noted.” He bit out before walking past them both without another glance towards his wife.

Paul turned to Rose incredulously as they watched the two detectives disappear around the harbour, and Rose looked up to him. “I’ve gotta go.” She said, not feeling the need to comment on her husband’s suspicions. “We have an agreement that I don’t get too close to cases and this is pushing it.”

Paul was angry, not at Rose, but at her husband. “What but being over at the Latimer’s house everyday is just fine?”

“I’m helping Beth grieve- she’s my best friend. And she’s not the prime suspect in the murder of her own son. If I thought I could do anything to help Jack I would ignore Alec to do so, but what do you want from me here, Paul? You want me to stand out there and fight the reporters off myself?”

Paul crossed his arms. “You could get your husband to allocate more officers.”

Rose closed her eyes in frustration. It was hardly the first time anyone had asked her to try and use her relationship with Alec like that. “That’s not how it works. You  _ know _ that’s not how it works. Don’t try and make me feel bad for this. You’re the one who was just getting onto me about spreading myself too thin and taking on everyone else’s responsibilities! But now suddenly I’m being selfish for not risking my marriage to help a man I barely even know?”

“No, Rose. I don’t think you’re selfish. You’re the least selfish person I know. I just don’t understand why the line was drawn at Jack Marshall.”

Rose shook her head. “Because there’s nothing I can do here, Paul. Jack’s made his mistakes and there’s nothing I can do to change them. If I could put a dozen cops out there I would, but it wouldn’t  _ change _ anything. Reporters don’t back down that easily.”

 

Ellie followed Alec back into the station at a safe distance. “Sir, are you okay?” She asked eventually.

“What Jack Marshall said doesn’t alter the facts.” Alec said instead of answering as he walked quickly through to his office. “He still has a conviction, he’s still a suspect. We can’t be distracted by him or this press. We persevere with the evidence.”

As soon as they reached his door, Brian Young came around the corner. “Are we on?” He asked, cutting Alec’s rant off.

Alec spun around at that. “Yes.” He answered, following him with Ellie to one of the examination rooms and sitting down at the table where forensics had been laid out.

Brian slid one of the evidence bags towards them. “Four similar cigarette butts, all within three feet of one another, within four feet of where the boy’s body was found.” He said, as Alec leaned forward, taking his glasses out of his pocket.

“What makes them special?” Ellie asked.

“Timing.” Brain answered, sitting forward. “If they’d been there more than a couple of hours earlier they’d have been washed away by the high tide. But there’s no traces of tide water on them, so they must have been left there that morning, around about the same time the body was.”

“Is that a common brand?” Alec asked.

Brian shook his head. “High tar- It's quite unusual these days. If they were bought locally, you might be in with a shout of people remembering the purchaser.”

Alec leaned back, letting out a long breath. “Four cigarettes?”

Ellie looked over to him, furrowing her brow. “What's the matter?”

“All that way to drop off a body and then to stand there and smoke?” He answered, drawing his brows together as he squinted at the evidence bag in her hand. “Doesn't make any sense.”

Ellie sighed, tilting her head. “The important thing is, who smokes them?”

 

Rose’s shoulders were drawn tight as she walked back to her house. The sun was finally high enough above the horizon to start making any sort of difference to the temperature, and Joe Miller would be dropping Daisy back off from staying the night any minute now. She needed to get her head back before she worried her daughter.

When she finally made it over the hill she was surprised to find Daisy, Tom, Joe, and Fred already waiting for her on the patio. “Oh my God sorry, I didn’t expect you back this early.” Rose immediately apologised and she quickened her pace up to them. “You haven’t been waiting long, have you?” She asked, as Daisy ran to wrap her arms around her mum’s waist.

“Nah,” Joe answered easily. “Got here just before you did, and Daisy left her key. Figured we could wait around until you turned up.”

Rose laughed and moved to unlock the door. “Well, thank you. I appreciate it.” She said. “Did you lot have fun?” She asked the kids.

Tom was holding his little brother, and both of them nodded. “Yeah, loads.” Tom grinned.

“Dwaisy is super fun, Miss Wose.” Fred informed her matter of factly- earning laughs from both of the girls that he delighted in.

“Well good, I’m glad.” Rose answered, already feeling her mood improve. She looked to her daughter and nodded towards the house. “Head inside and get cleaned up and we’ll get started on lunch, yeah? Might could bring it down for your father later too.”

Daisy brightened up at that, and immediately ran inside after giving a short wave to the boys and another thank you to Joe. 

Joe sent his boys off to the car, and he turned back to Rose. He let out a long breath. “You and me, we’re sort of in the same boat here, aren’t we?” He started, chuckling a bit.

Rose tilted her head. “How do you mean?”

“Well, you know. Married to the two lead detectives on the case.” He smirked as Rose nodded in understanding. “Have you got people asking you what you know all the time too?”

Rose snorted. “Oh, of course. I can’t walk down High Street without someone stopping me.” She rolled her eyes, but shrugged it off easily. “I get it though.”

Joe laughed, “yeah, it’s like… I don’t know how many times I have to tell these people I don’t know anything before they finally get it.”

Rose smirked good-naturedly. She got it, but at the same time she didn’t really see the point standing around complaining about it. “Yeah, Alec doesn’t tell me anything, and that’s how I prefer it, honestly.” She said.

She watched Joe’s minute-hesitation flicker across his features before he chuckled and nodded in agreement. She supposed for a spouse that wasn’t well-versed in the experience the curiosity might still be there. 

“Yeah, yeah, me too…” Joe answered, looking out towards the water as he did. He took a deep breath. “Anyway, I’d best be going now. It was nice seeing you.”

Rose smiled politely, and waved as he began backing away. “Ta, you as well.” She said, and waited until he’d turned the corner to shuffle into her home, feeling still just a bit like she had a bad taste in her mouth.

 

Chloe showed up at the house just as Rose and Daisy were finishing chopping the vegetables for chicken lentil soup. Daisy spotted the older girl first, nudging her mum gently and motioning toward the glass door she stood outside of. Rose squinted, setting her knife down and wiping her hands on her jeans, telling Daisy to keep going as she walked over.

She slid the door open. “Hey Chlo,” she greeted, somewhere between pleasantly surprised and worried. “Is everything alright?”

Chloe took a deep breath. “My dad found out about Dean. He’s pissed.”

Rose glanced over her shoulder to wear Daisy was still in the kitchen. “Do you wanna come in?” She asked, uncaring if Daisy heard, but leaving Chloe’s business in her own hands.

Chloe nodded though, so Rose stepped aside, allowing her entrance. “What exactly happened, dear?” She asked, taking a seat on the couch and motioning for Chloe to join her.

Chloe sat back heavily, and Rose could see that she was fighting back tears. “He saw us out on the beach. He came in my room and started yelling. I told him he was being a hypocrite, and that I was the one that told Becca she needed to tell the police about them.”

Rose pulled her chin back at that. “You knew?”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “He was always flirting with her while I was doing shifts at the Trader’s.”

Rose shook her head, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, calming herself before she went on. “I won’t even try to justify that, and that’s not why you’re here, so just putting that aside for a moment. Your parents are both really stressed right now. I think once your dad has had a chance to cool down he’ll be more accepting.”

“That’s why I didn’t want to tell them- not right now.” Chloe answered miserably, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees and run her hands through her hair. Rose rubbed her back comfortingly.

“I know dear.” She said, looking up to wear Daisy had now appeared in the entryway- watching them worriedly. “It’ll be okay.” She assured them both.

Chloe glanced over to her. “How can you know that?”

“I can’t.” Rose answered honestly. “But I can  _ believe _ it will. Things tend to do that- work themselves out. You won’t be 15 forever, your dad won’t be angry forever.”

“Were your parents mad? When you started seeing Alec?” Chloe asked, and Rose sighed, looking up to her daughter and holding her hand out for her.

Daisy came over to take the seat at her other side, and Rose leaned back so that she could speak to them both. Daisy knew about a lot of her past already- just not the real gritty parts.

“Alec was the first good decision I ever made with my life, so no- my mum wasn’t mad about him. She mentioned the age difference but…” She shrugged, and looked off distantly before continuing.  “Now, the guy I’d been dating before I met Alec on the other hand…”

Chloe sat up straight at that, turning so that she faced Rose on the couch, while Daisy leaned into her mum- knowing she hated talking about her past.

“I’m not going to get into all of the ways that Jimmy Stone was an absolutely horrendous excuse for a human being.” She sighed. “But he was nineteen and I was fifteen going on sixteen when I met him. He took advantage of me and treated me like shit from the very beginning. The age difference was the least of anyone’s worries for me. I dropped out of school, got involved in a lot of things I shouldn’t have, and it all ended in the worst way possible three years later.” 

Rose gave a little half  hearted smile and reached out to tuck a stray hair behind Chloe’s ear. “This is not the end of the world, I promise.” She said quietly. “I know it feels like it, but you’re strong, Chlo. You’ll get through this.” Chloe gave a little smile of her own and grabbed Rose’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “And if you want me to I’ll talk to your dad.” Rose added.

She smirked and nodded, laughing a bit and shifting to mirror Daisy’s position and rest her head on Rose’s other shoulder. “I don’t know what we’d all do without you.” She whispered eventually.

Rose chuckled and kissed the top of both girls heads at that, hugging them closer.

 

With Chloe joining in, the girls ended up making  _ way _ more soup than any human being could ever eat on their own- two massive stockpots, to be exact- so Rose dug up a hoard of styrofoam containers and thermal delivery bags.

“Why have you got all this anyway?” Chloe asked as she flipped open one of the bags.

Rose smirked. “The church we went to in London used to bring food around to the homeless shelters every week.” She explained. “We kept it going when we moved to Sandbrook, but the homeless population isn’t near as big here, so I just asked Paul if he’d let me open the church doors on Thursday nights.”

Chloe nodded. “And that explains the industrial sized soup pots.” She said dryly, shaking her head and giving Daisy a significant look that she giggled at.

 

They loaded up the back of Rose’s car with four bags full of soup cups, and decided to go around the town. They stopped at the church first, finding Paul and the other Sunday school teacher. 

Paul pulled Rose aside before they could leave.

“Hey,” he started, running his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry- about earlier. I was out of line.”

Rose shook her head. “Thank you, but don’t worry about it. I get it. Everyone is a bit on edge recently.” Paul nodded gratefully and she reached forward to pat his arm. “It’s hard, having your town dissected like this, I know that.” She told him.

“I just hope we can all get through this.” He sighed. “Preferably stronger than before- rather than in pieces.”

Rose nodded slowly. “It will be hard, but it helps if we don’t start turning against each other.” She gave him a significant look, and Paul chuckled good-naturedly. 

“Yeah, yeah- fair enough.” He said, shaking his head.

 

They went to the _ Echo  _ news offices next- handing out the containers to all of the journalists, and Chloe wandered over to where Olly and Karen White were hunched together over a series of articles. “Hey guys.” She said, getting their attention as she set the food down in front of them.

“Hey,” Olly said, squinting up at her. “How did you manage to get roped into the charitable acts of the Tyler-Hardy girls?”

Chloe shrugged, glancing over to where Rose and Daisy were talking to Maggie before sitting down. “I was over there and it just sort of happened. It’s a bit contagious- Rose’s energy. It’s like you can’t help but convince yourself everything is going to be okay when she’s around.”

Karen looked over to the woman in question at that, brow furrowing in interest as she tapped her pen against the desk. 

Chloe’s eyes fell to what they’d been working on though. That morning’s edition of  _ The Herald _ was there- the anonymous statement she’d made Dean give the day before about his time in the Sea Brigade inspiring the headline:  **‘HUGS FOR THE BOYS.’** Her stomach turned at the sight now. 

Rose had been talking earlier while they’d been cooking- about how you can’t ever really know the full story behind something, about how nothing is really ever black and white. Especially when it comes to people’s pasts. It was obvious she spoke from experience.

Chloe cleared her throat suddenly as Rose and Daisy moved to exit the office. She excused herself quickly and jogged to meet them at the door.

“Alright girls,” Rose said, looking around High Street. “Where to next?”

Chloe glanced to the newsagency across the street, where photographers were still clamouring over the uniformed officers in an attempt to see in. “What about Jack Marshall?” She asked.

Both Rose and Daisy whipped their head around to look at her at that. “Are you sure, Chlo?” Rose asked hesitantly. “I could take it to him on my own if you’d rather not.”

Chloe took a deep breath, steeling herself. “No, no it’s okay.” She insisted, looking up to her finally. “You said earlier- that everyone deserves a chance. I don’t really want to talk to him but…” She looked over to the yelling journalists again. “It seems like maybe he could use a bit of kindness. That’s why we’re doing this right?”

Rose put her arm around her at that, pulling her closer. “That’s very big of you, Chloe.” She said. “I’m proud of you.” She glanced at all the cameras covering the front entrance though and winched. “I don’t really want them taking pictures of you though.” She sighed. “Let’s go around the back, yeah?”

Jack was holed up in his office when they came in, and thankfully realised that they weren’t really there for talking, just accepted the soup with a small, thankful nod, and offering them free sodas for their troubles.

After that they just made their way down High Street, stopping in to all the local businesses until they reached the police station.

They set up the remaining full bags in the break room, and Daisy and Chloe stayed down there with Ellie, while Rose escaped up to Alec’s office.

“Hey,” she said, quietly, knocking on his open door with soup in hand. “I brought you lunch.”

Alec looked up, taking his glasses off as he did. He raised his brows at her hesitant expression. “I’m not mad about this morning.” He said, getting that out of the way first. “It just worries me.”

Rose nodded, stepping inside and taking the seat across from him, placing the food down. “I know,” she said. “Doesn’t mean I’m not going to apologise. If it makes you feel any better I told Paul off for it.”

“I’m not sure how you telling me you had a run in with the vicar is supposed to make me feel better.” He replied dryly, earning a laugh from Rose. He watched her carefully for a moment before handing her a paper from his desk- a print out of an old newspaper article from twenty years ago.

“What’s this?” She asked as she took it, and Alec explained as she scanned the sheet.

“The details from Jack Marshall’s case. Was a girl- fifteen nearly sixteen. He married her as soon as he got out.”

Rose pulled her chin back, flipping the page over to finish reading as she took that in. “Seventeen and forty?” She asked, looking up for confirmation, and Alec nodded. “I’m not sure if that really makes it better.” She sighed, handing him back the paper.

“Better than how the papers portrayed it.” Alec said, and Rose nodded slowly- giving him that. “But you’re right. It’s still not…” He drifted off, at a lost for words.

“It’s complicated.” Rose offered.

Alec sat back at that, letting out a long breath. “So is everything else.” He grumbled, and Rose reached forward to offer her hand. Alec took is gratefully.

 

On the way back to the house, Rose slowed as she saw near a dozen cars pulling up outside Sea Brigade Hall- angry fathers all filing out to march angrily towards the building. Photographers stood to the side like rabid mice, scurrying around each other as their shutter scattered rapidly, all of them waiting for the fight. Rose looked wearily over to see the only officer there- cup of soup in hand, and without thinking she pulled into the grass next to the building. 

“You two stay in the car.” She ordered the girls, unbuckling her seatbelt and shutting the car door behind her before they could protest.

“Requesting backup at Sea Brigade Hall” Officer Phil Rogers was saying into his radio as Rose came up next him. Nigel was storming towards them, and Phil stepped forward to stop him. “Alright, lads, let’s not be daft here.” He warned them.

Nigel didn’t stop until Phil was physically holding him back, just as Jack stepped out of the building. “We’re just here to talk to Jack!” He growled, tone not matching the words, and Phil pushed him back. “There’s no meeting here tonight! No boys are coming here, Jack! We don’t want you near our kids! We don’t feel safe with that.”

“You don’t have kids, Nigel.” Jack replied calmly, even as more angry fathers gathered. “You didn’t even get a badge for knots.”

“Yeah?” Nigel tried lunging forward again, Phil just barely managing to keep him back. “Well I can speak for those that do!”

Rose crossed her arms in front of her. “Not really, Nige.”

He either didn’t hear her or didn’t care, as he started hurling insults at the newsagent along with the rest of the dads behind him. Rose locked eyes with Joe Miller as he attempted to pull Nige back, and he shrugged helplessly.

“Ma’am you really shouldn’t be here.” Phil said over his shoulder, but Rose just raised her brows at him challengingly and he sighed, shaking his head.

Mark Latimer broke through the crowd then. “Get back! Get away now, come on!” He yelled as he finally came to the front. 

“You don’t need to be involved.” Nigel said, but Mark walked past him anyway, and Phil had to choose holding Nigel back over Mark.

“You’re a dead man! Do it Mark!” Nige yelled over the still shouting men.

“I said GET BACK!” Mark screamed at them, and finally they all shut up, taking a step back.

Mark took the remaining steps forward, until there was only a few metres between him and Jack. Behind them photojournalists were snapping pictures even more rapidly than before. “A lot of people saying a lot of stuff about you, Jack.” He started.

“I’m not what they’re calling me.” Jack insisted. “And I didn’t go near your boy.”

“You had his phone.” Mark argued.

Jack shook his head. “He left it in the bottom of his delivery bag, I swear.”

“You been in prison though. Ain’t you, eh?”

“There was a girl. We had an affair.” Jack answered, breath stilted. “She was 15, nearly 16. Same age as Beth when you met her.”

Mark glanced over to Rose at that, and she nodded smally in confirmation- even though Jack did leave out the detail of his own age at the time being far older than Mark had been.

“We married.” Jack went on. “We had a son together.”

And that surprised Rose. She bit her nail as she watched Mark’s shoulders tense.

“Yeah, where is he now?” Mark threw back. “Why ain’t he with you now?”

Jack let out a shuddering breath. “He died.” He told him quietly. “Age six. Car accident.The grief ripped us apart, so I came here. Fresh start.” 

Everything drained out of Mark at that, and Rose startled as suddenly there was a weight against her side. Chloe had left the car. She sighed and wrapped an arm around the girl as Jack went on.

“They’re saying I wanted to hug the boys because I’m a paedophile.” He shook his head. “It was never that. I missed my boy. I missed holding him. I miss my boy everyday.” 

His tears were falling freely now, and so were Mark’s. Chloe buried her face in Rose’s shirt and she held her tighter. 

“What sort of world is this, Mark, where it’s wrong for a man to seek affection?” He asked miserably. “I never hurt Danny. We’re the same, Mark. No parent should outlive their child. Your boy, he was a good boy.”

Mark sniffed and rubbed at his eyes.

Behind him, Joe spoke up. “Mark, are you okay?” He asked wearily.

“Yeah.” Mark let out, but it was broken and soaked with tears. When he looked up finally his eyes were red.

“What’s he saying?” Nigel asked.

Mark spun around. “GO HOME!” He yelled, making Rose jump. “The lot of yah! Get out of here!”

The fathers wouldn’t argue with Mark. They all started backing away finally, turning on their heels and retreating to their cars, even as they grumbled angrily.

“You’re dead, mate!” One of them yelled towards Jack before leaving though. “Dead!”

Mark shook his head, holding his arm out for Chloe, and she went running to him, wrapping her arms around his waist- both of them had tear stained cheeks. The cameras clicked rapidly. Mark took a deep shuddering breath before speaking to Jack again. “You should get away from here, Jack.” He said, sounding tired now. “It’s not safe.”

“This is my  _ home _ now.” Jack protested.

Mark looked behind him to the slowly leaving dads and rabid photographers. “People have made up their minds.” He told him. “If you wanna stay safe, I’d say get as far away from here as possible.”

Rose’s eyes flickered over to Jack, who hung his head. He looked like the human embodiment of misery and defeat.

Mark sniffed again and nodded to Rose in silent thanks before pulling Chloe with him back to his van.

Rose stood there for a few moments, for once at a loss on how to comfort someone. Jack looked up to her eventually, eyes full of pain. “What I do?” He asked her- begged her.

Rose opened and closed her mouth a few time in succession. There was nothing she could say- nothing to say. Mark had said it all, really. 

Her head snapped around as she heard her name- Phil was on the phone with someone. Her husband, probably- if she were to hazard a guess. She looked back to Jack, shaking her head uselessly. “I don’t know, Jack, I’m sorry.” She whispered.

Jack’s shoulders dropped impossibly further, and without another word he retreated back into the hall.

 

It was near seven at night when Olly walked into the station. Ellie glanced up to Alec’s office to see he was still on the phone with Rose after the altercation at Sea Brigade Hall, so she sighed and brought him into the interview room on her own.

“Your boat is missing?” She repeated incredulously, watching him nod. “When did you last see it?”

Oliver shrugged noncommittally. “Eight weeks ago?”

“The whole thing was taken?” She repeated.

Olly nodded. “Motor and everything,” he confirmed.

Ellie closed her eyes at that, staving off a headache- the same one that normally appeared around her nephew. “Why’d you leave the motor on it?”

“Dad always did!” Oliver argued.

“Yeah, and I told him not to.” She shot back.

Olly sat forward, eyes glowing with interest. “Do you think it could be the boat that was burned?” 

Ellie sighed, standing up. “It’s late, Oliver. Thank you for reporting it. I’ll give a picture to SOCO. You can go now.” She said shortly, attempting to shut him down befre he entered to far into journalistic mode.

He went on though. “But if it was, can I have the story?” He was on the edge of his seat. “Don’t announce it- just give it to me. If it was our boat- my boat- Dad’s boat.”

Ellie really wanted to slap him.

 

A couple hours later Brian Young appeared at her desk just as she was packing her things up. She sighed as she saw him, shoulders falling. “Oh, God, Brain, I just want to go home.” She moaned.

He smirked. “Sorry, I just wanted to tell you. That picture you got of the boat- it’s a match with what we have. The colour, the moulding… It could be the one. We’ll confirm.”

Ellie let out a long breath. “Right. Good…” She sighed and muttered, “sort of.”

“And we got Danny’s DNA on the burnt boat, so if it’s a match we’re there- we got it.”

Ellie nodded tiredly. “Okay.” She said, not feeling the need to tell him why this fact did not excite her in the slightest.

Suddenly Brian was sitting on the edge of her desk though. “Listen,” he started, “do you fancy a drink one night?”

Ellie pulled her chin back at that. “Sorry, I’m married, Brain.”

He raised his brows, seemingly unaffected. “That’s an issue is it?”

Ellie felt like she must have entered some alternate darker, weirder universe. If not a week ago then at least in the last two minutes. “Happily married, Brian.” She reiterated.

Brian nodded slowly, squinting at her. “Huh, okay- fair enough.” He shrugged and stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Only a lot of people aren’t, are they?” He mused.

“I am.” She said firmly, wondering if she could get back to her own universe where things made sense.

“Good.” Brian nodded again looking away. “Well there you go.” He started walking off. “Do you need anything from the kitchen?” He offered last minute. “A cup of tea, or-”

“No, I’m good.” Ellie cut him off, wanting this interaction to be over. “Thanks though.”

He nodded again, and finally walked out of the room. Ellie looked around for a moment, wondering seriously if she’d just dreamed that entire thing. After a moment of stunned silence, she stood up to walk into Alec’s office.

He looked up as she stepped through the open door, keeping his chin in his hand and his pen poised over whatever he’d been writing. She cleared her throat awkwardly. “Um the burned boat…” she started by way of greeting. “Bit weird- the boat itself was my ex-brother-in-law’s.” She winced a bit as she said it, and his hand fell along with his jaw as he squinted up at her incredulously. “Yeah I know.” She sighed. “Olly’s dad- he’s been gone a while- left my sister a few years back.”

“The boat that was burned.” He repeated. “The one that has  _ Danny’s _ DNA on it- was your brother’s?”

Ellie nodded. “Yeah. It was just left- just off the beach, with the motor still on it. I mean, anyone could have taken it. Just use bolt cutters.”

“Who knew it was there?”

Ellie shrugged miserably. “Everyone did. It wasn’t a secret.”

“Your son Tom- did he know?”

“Yeah… why?”

“Did  _ Danny? _ ” He went on.

“I don’t know.” Ellie shook her head, and watched him sit back, defeated. A boat that  _ anyone _ could have used- it wasn’t good news. 

He sighed. “Alright, well, see if forensics can get any other prints or DNA off the shards, match them against the elimination prints.”

Ellie nodded, and started to walk out, but aborted the move halfway through and turned back to him. Needing to say it out loud before she convinced herself it was just a fever dream. “Oh, and um, funny thing- I had to tell someone- SOCO Brian just asked me out.”

Alec’s eyes widened as he sat forward again. “Brian?” He repeated incredulously. “Why would he do that?”

Ellie gave him a dry look. “Thanks a lot.” She replied, rasing her brows.

“You’re married!” He rephrased, distantly wondering if anyone respected the sanctity in that anymore.

“I told him that!” She exclaimed, laughing a bit. “It didn’t seem to faze him!” She wrinkled her nose.

Alec pulled his chin back as he considered that. “Flattering?” He asked eventually.

She tilted her head. “Well, sort of… but it’s SOCO- they’ve had their hands everywhere.” She joked, grinning cheekily.

Alec wrinkled his nose too at that observation. “Dirty Brian.” He said, earning a snort from Ellie.  _ Were they friends now? Did Alec Tyler-Hardy make friends? _

A moment of companionable silence fell before she spoke up again. “Sir… I’ve always wanted to ask but you’re-” she cut herself off before she could say ‘exceptionally unapproachable,’ and cleared her throat. “It’s just that, the Sandbrook case, the trials and all it was mostly hushed up. But now… it’s just that this is the first murder I’ve ever worked, and these are my friends it’s important that I-”

Alec rolled his eyes and started shuffling through his desk drawers as she continued rambling, straightening up again as he tossed her a thick stack of files. Ellie pressed her lips together and he nodded to it. “It’s all there.” He told her. “Witness statements, video footage, forensics, my notes- everything that led to those arrests.”

Ellie picked the stack up carefully. “All three of them?” She asked.

“All three of them.” He confirmed.

She flipped through the stack interestedly for a second. A six month investigation Sandbrook had been, and the trials more than twice that. She looked back up to him. “Do you think it will take as long this time?” She asked him quietly.

He shook his head, sitting back. “I don’t know.” He answered honestly. “But we  _ will _ find them. I swaer to you we will.”

His tone made it hard to question him.

 

Across town, Beth was laying in bed, staring unseeingly up at the ceiling while the telly played to her  deaf ears, she glanced over as Mark joined her.

“Can we not listen to the news?” He asked, and Beth reached over to switch it off without further reply. A silent moment passed before he spoke again at a whisper. “You know I love you, Beth.”

“I know you say it.” She answered, not looking at him. “Since you've been caught out.” She let out a long breath. “Did Danny know about you and Becca?”

“No.” Mark answered immediately. “No, he didn't. I swear.” Beth still didn’t look to him though. “Beth, please.” He pleaded. “Why don't we make an agreement, just for tonight, eh? No bickering and no silences…” She finally met his eyes and he held his hands out helplessly. “Let's just find something else.”

They ended up in the front room, boxes of Danny’s old school projects and his baby albums laid out in front of them. It was the first time they’d genuinely smiled and laughed in that house in a long time. It wasn’t perfect- it was far from. But for a moment, for this brief shining stolen moment, they were able to put their grief aside. It wasn’t what they wanted, but it’s what they needed.

 

Furhter out, earer the coast, Jack Marshall glanced out his window as townsfolk smashed in his truck windows and spray painted ‘PAEDO’ across the side of his boat.

Misery sat heavy on his shoulders, as he walked into town and saw the newspapers outside his shop.

**‘CHILD BRIDE OF BROADCHURCH JACK- FAMILY PHOTOS REVEAL DARK SECRETS’** A photo of his wife and child stared up at him- one of the last ones ever taken of them as a family.

He fell to his knees as a sob wracked his body, and the grief overtook him.

 

_ [Sunday, 28th of July] _

Detective-Inspector Alec Tyler-Hardy met Detective-Sergeant Ellie Miller at the bottom of the cliff three miles west of the one where Danny had been found. 

The sun was just beginning to rise over the lifeless body of Jack Marshall.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm gonna post every Tuesday" LOL. I was in Boston getting zero sleep, sorry loves! 
> 
> \--MBF is a work in progress. I'm hard pressed for inspiration atm :(
> 
>   **Comments are my fuel! ❤︎**


	6. Episode VI

_[Sunday, 15th of September]_

Alec woke up shouting, drenched in a cold sweat, and feeling like he was drowning as he gasped for air, a vice grip tightening around his heart, sending pain shooting down his left side.

Distantly he felt Rose beside him rubbing at his back, but the room swam in and out of focus and he couldn’t get his eyes to land on her.

She disappeared for second and his brain turned to static as the panic worsened without her, but she reappeared a moment later, pills and a glass of water coming into his tunneled line of vision. He took them gratefully and collapsed against the pillows again- chest heaving.

Rose’s hand landed on his heart and he reached up to hold onto her wrist like a lifeline, using her pulse as a guide for his own.

Finally, seconds or years later, he was able to look at her. Tears were falling between the golden curtains of hair framing her face. She was saying something, but his ears were still full of cotton wool.

She fell next to him and tucked her face into his shoulder, it was only then that he realised her tears were not the silent worried ones, but rather her body was shaking as her sobs overcame her. He reached up to run a hand along her back, shushing her gently.

Eventually, her voice broke through the static. “Please,” she sobbed miserably. “Please don’t leave me.”

His already broken heart broke further at that, and he reached around to pull her closer by the waist. “I’d never leave you.” He promised.

The words only served to make cry more though. “You’re killing yourself!” She argued, looking up to him, eyes red and glassy, shaking her head.

He realised it had been longer than a few seconds this time. He flashed back to all those nights, even before Sandbrook, back when they first met, when Rose would spend hours at night sobbing as she woke up from night terrors- convinced she was back there in that warehouse. The pain and terror and helplessness he’d felt the entire time. The same way he was making her feel now.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, at a loss for words. He’d forgotten, somehow, that his pain hurt her too. The episodes were getting progressively more frequent as the stress piled with each passing day.

Rose shook her head, curling herself impossibly further into him. “Just please don’t leave me.” She begged again brokenly, and he tightened his grip on her waist.

They were nearing the two month mark in this case now, and it was taking its toll.

 

Hours later Alec sat at his desk holding the Sunday edition of the _Daily Herald._

 **‘WORST COP IN BRITAIN?’** _-DI Alec Tyler-Hardy: six months before arrests in Sandbrook, and now two have passed in Broadchurch with the body count rising._

“They’re bastards.” Ellie said by way of greeting as she stood in his doorway, making him look up. “We didn’t hound him, they did. Now they’re playing the innocent.”

Alec made a small face of agreement as he set the paper aside, not feeling the need to reply.

Ellie stepped forward. “Rose texted, said you’d forget to wear a black tie.” She said, holding out the article in question.

He took it gratefully, setting it on his desk. “Um… the Chief Super is scaling out resources back.” He informed her tiredly, folding his hands in front of him.

“What?” Ellie asked incredulously, eyes widening, sure she must have misheard him.

He pulled his glasses off, tossing them down haphazardly as he rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “We’ve reached our budget ceiling.” He said, sniffing and crossing his arms. “As of next week they’re pulling back on staffing-”

“She can’t do that!” Ellie interrupted him angrily, putting her hands on her hips.

Alec shrugged. He’d already had and lost this argument this morning. “That’s what happens when a case drags on.” He told her knowingly. “The bosses lose confidence, panic about explaining it to the accountants.”

“Well how are we meant to solve it?” She demanded, still fired up as opposed to Alec’s tired and defeated acceptance of injustice.

He sighed, sitting back. “Chase the forensics on the boat. Those results are our last remaining pieces of clear evidence.” He stood up, removing his grey tie and flinging it over the coat rack in the corner.

“They’re doing as much as they can,” Ellie said more quietly now, his attitude rubbing off on her. “But let me hassle them again…” He nodded, and picked up the tie she’d handed him. “You don’t have to come to this.” She reminded him, not for the first time.

He squinted at her. “What, cause of that?” He nodded to the paper. “Bugger them.” He pulled the tie even round his neck, sniffing indignantly. “I’m the worst cop in Britain.” He pronounced, raising his brows. “You think they’re right?”

Ellie nodded, smirking a bit. “Yeah. I’ll get you a t-shirt with it on.”

He smiled half-heartedly at that, the motion not quite reaching his eyes. He sighed, getting back to business. “Danny’s killer’s likely to be there today. Now with two deaths on his conscience- however indirect.” He straightened the tie. “Let’s see who’s looking worried.”

 

Rose held her knees to her chest as she watched Paul pace his office.

“Welcome to Saint Bede’s, we are gathered here- _assembled_ here…” He muttered to himself. “We’re assembled here today to grieve…” He huffed, lowering his voice even further. “We’re gathered here to share our grief…” He flung his arms out helplessly turning to look to Rose.

She wasn’t paying much attention to him though- instead staring at the stack of the last six editions of the Sunday _Daily Herald,_ and other different papers across the country _._

“Rose.” He said, finally getting her to look up at him. “You can’t let those get to you.”

She shook her head, closing her eyes a bit. “Yeah, yeah… I know. It’s just…” She drifted off. A lot of those articles had started pointing her out specifically- including pictures from the day of Jack’s death where she’d went in through the back of his shop, and stood outside Sea Brigade hall when he was being hounded. She’d had three chances. She’d missed all of them.

She looked back up to the vicar- watching her expectantly. “I can’t stop thinking that I should have listened to you, maybe if I had just _done_ more.”

“Rose-”

“No.” She shook her head vehemently. “He _asked me,_ Paul. He asked me what to do and all I said was _‘I’m sorry.’_ What kind of person does that?”

“A _normal_ person, Rose.” He sighed and took the seat beside her. “A lot of people in this town are to blame for Jack’s death, but you are _not_ one of them. You were of the few people who showed him any kindness that day.”

Rose pressed her lips together, keeping her gaze locked on the far wall. “This town is falling apart.” She said distantly, more to herself than anything. “Everyone is turning against each other- right when they should be turning _to_ each other.”

 

Olly was using the small mirror on the side of a shelf in the _Echo_ news offices as he knotted his tie- one of the few valuable things his dad had taught him before he’d left. The bell on the front door chimed, and he didn’t look over as he called out. “Sorry we’re closed.”

Footsteps kept coming through, so he peeked around the corner to see Karen White. His jaw clenched as he flipped his collar down, stepping forward.

“Look at you in a suit.” She commented lightly.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Didn’t expect to see you- not today.” He tilted his head. “I mean, it is a little bit tacky not to call.”

“I was embarrassed.”

“Why?” Olly threw back, even though he knew the answer- just wanting her to say it out loud.

“After they found Jack Marshall, I couldn't stand being here, being part of the frenzy.” She defended.

He raised his brows. “So you ran?”

“Yeah. Hid- with a mate in Wales.” She answered. He stared at her for a moment, so she sighed, levelling him with a serious look. “It wasn't our fault, Olly.”

 _They wrote the first article. They wrote the first article. They wrote the first-_ “Let's just keep telling ourselves that.” He bit out.

Maggie came down the stairs before she could reply. “Right, Olly. Let's make a move-” She cut herself off as she looked up to see Karen. “The Invisible Woman returns…” She said snarkily towards her. “Are you sure you should be here?”

Karen lifted her chin. “I felt I should pay my respects, yeah.”

“Should have done that while he was alive.” Maggie practically spit. “Or have you come to wash the blood off your hands?”

Karen held her hand up. “Spare me the sanctimonious shit. Jack Marshall made his own decisions, took his own life-”

“He was hounded.” Maggie yelled.

“And what did you do? Huh?” She tilted her head. “Did you bring him in? Did the police protect him? No. Your little town turned on him quite happily.” She watched Maggie’s shoulders fall slightly, and counted it as a win. “You've still got a murderer walking round out there and you want to blame me?” She asked incredulously.

They remained silent, and Karen scoffed. “Good to be back.” She said sarcastically, already backing out of the room.

 

Autumn in Broadchurch came as it always did- early.

Daisy sat on Chloe’s bed, already in her black dress, staring out the window and watching leaves fall from the tree just outside. She’d been counting them, but at some point she’d forgotten why. She looked up slowly as she realised Chloe was talking to her.

“...I just wish we could have a funeral for Danny, y’know?” She said, running a brush through her hair and adjusting the skirt of her dress.

Daisy nodded. They’d kept Jack Marshall’s body for more than a month, but Danny’s was still being held until the killer was caught. Chloe fell back against the pillows next to her- effectively ruining all the work she’d just done to make her dress sit right. “I feel so guilty.” She whispered eventually, staring up at the ceiling.

“Those articles were going to be written whether Dean had told Karen and Olly about the Sea Brigade or not.” Daisy said again. It felt like a mantra at this point.

Chloe turned her head towards her. “Is anything ever going to feel normal again?” She asked quietly.

Daisy let out a long breath at that, shoulders deflating. There was no right way to answer that, so she just reached out and took Chloe’s hand instead.

 

Rose met them outside the church gates, and Daisy fell into her side instantly. She caught sight of her father- standing off to the side with Ellie, watching the procession carefully. She looked around and saw how many of the townspeople glanced towards the detectives as they came through. They stood atop the hill stoically, like stark reminders of why this had happened.

If her mum and Chloe felt guilty, she couldn’t imagine how the killer was feeling.

She hoped that meant they’d find them soon. Maybe then they could find some semblance of ‘normal.’

The casket was carried past, and they followed into the sanctuary.

“We’re assembled here today to share our grief,” Paul began, and Rose’s arm tightened around Daisy’s shoulders, “and to celebrate the life of Jack Gerald Marshall.” He took a breath. “Jack Marshall was a good man, as has been made clear since his death- an _innocent_ man.”  Nigel’s head dropped at that.

“The local newsagent and Sea Brigade Master, who kept children secure on land, and safe at sea.” The Sea Brigade boys all stood to their side in their uniforms and nodded smally at that. “So how are we here?” Paul went on, looking out into the pews significantly. “We let him be smeared and intimidated.” Karen and Olly’s eyes met briefly across the pews. “We weren’t there when he needed us.”

“So today, in celebrating Jack, we also have to admit that some of us failed him- just as we failed Danny Latimer.” Daisy’s hand reached out for Chloe’s on instinct as she felt her friend’s breath hitch, and beside her Rose did that same for Beth.

“The second commandment tells us ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself.’” His voice rose as he preached. “In this, the darkest of times, we have to _be better._ If we are not a community of neighbors, then we are _nothing._ ” He levelled them all with a look, and their heads bowed in prayer.

 

The reception was at the Trader’s.

Alec and Ellie were of the last two people to arrive at the inn, and she looked up to him as he studied the faces surrounding them. “Do you think the killer’s here?” She asked.

He took a deep breath. The overwhelming majority of Broadchurch was there. “Good chance. So keep an eye-”

“Keep an eye out, look for anything out of the ordinary.” She interrupted him, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, I’ve got it.”

He looked over to her, sighing a bit at her attitude. “Do I irk you Miller?” He asked boredly.

She raised her brows at him incredulously, pulling her chin back. “Seriously, you’re only asking me that now?”

He didn’t feel the need to reply to that quip before walking past her towards the bar while she went into the lobby’s seating area. Becca was pouring drinks, speaking to Paul with his glass of orange juice.

“Well done you,” she said, “you gave us all what for.”

The vicar let out a breath. “I’m a bit worried that no one’s going to speak to me again.” He joked.

Becca smirked. “I’ll speak to you. Nice bit of community leadership.”

“Thanks,” Paul chuckled, “just doing my job.” He met Alec’s eye at that, and starting walking towards him, but didn’t speak as they both their gazes fell to watch Beth and Mark approach the bar.

“I’d like white wine and a beer for my husband.” Beth said shortly.

Becca’s jaw clenched slightly, her shoulders tensing. “Sure thing,” she bit out, pouring the drinks and handing them over. Neither one of them thanked her- Mark keeping his gaze firmly locked on the floor, while Beth glared at her unabashedly.

Alec and Paul gave each other knowing looks as the couple walked in between them. Mark let Beth go on ahead, and stopped Paul before he could get to the DI. “Paul, uh, Beth and I talked, and we don’t want a memorial service anymore. We want a proper funeral, you know- when it’s all done. Then we’d like you to speak. Do what you did today y’know?”

“Whatever you want.” Paul agreed easily, nodding. “I’ll be there.”

Alec appeared behind Paul as Mark walked off. “Quite a lecture back there, wasn’t it?” He said by way of greeting. “Tore a strip off the old town.”

Paul chuckled, turning around to meet him. “I just said what needed saying… Rose, actually, is the one who said it first. Told me off for getting angry with you two that day. There’s definitely a lot to blame for Jack’s death, but the police aren’t one of them.”

Alec nodded appreciatively. “I’ve been on the force a long time, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that you can’t protect anyone from public perception.” He sniffed, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looked around the room.

“Or change how they deal with it.” Paul added on a sigh, taking a drink, and following his gaze around the room. “Tensions are high in here.” He commented.

Alec gave a small snort of agreement, watching Maggie Radcliffe leave Rose’s side to speak to Ellie. He patted the vicar on the shoulder before retreating towards his wife.

Halfway there though, the ringing in his ears increased, and the room tilted sideways. His chest tightened and he groaned, his legs giving out from under him. He fell forward, just barely managing to catch himself on the side of the table- knocking off something glass as he did.

He felt someone male catch him, before he was passed off and it was Rose’s familiar hands on his chest. “I’m fine! I’m fine!” He insisted, but it sounded muddled to his ears, like his head was underwater. He tripped a bit and next to him Rose huffed.

He blinked and suddenly they were outside on the terrace- Rose handing him his meds. He sat back after taking them mindlessly, waiting for her to come back into focus. “I’m fine.” He said again, once her worried face became visible.

Rose just shook her head angrily, looking out towards the water instead of at him. The furrow between her brows telling him exactly what she was thinking. He didn’t think she was going to reply, but she didn’t have a chance too anyway as Beth appeared a few moments later, taking the seat next to her.

“I have a favor to ask.” She said as she sat down.

Alec watched Rose’s features change instantly from closed off and angry to open and willing as she looked to her grieving best friend. “Anything.” She said, without question.

Beth smiled a little at the very _Rose_ response, and to Alec’s mildly curious look between the both of them. “I just wanna know what happens to us now.” She said, and it sounded pleading. “You two know the families from Sandbrook who lost their girls-”

“No.” Alec interrupted her, shaking his head, but Beth plowed on.

“-I want to talk to them. To someone who knows what this is like.” She insisted.

Rose closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before she answered. “The situation in Sandbrook was really different from here, Beth.” She said quietly. “It’s just the mum of the little girl left there.”

“That’s the only person I need to talk to.” She said, grabbing Rose’s hand, and looking over to Alec with wide pleading eyes. “Please.”

Alec sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “I’ll try and find her number.” He said eventually.

 

Daisy sat next to Tom in the hallway near the back door, hiding from all the adults that believed they were now only capable of conversation about their dead friend. They were hunched over their Nintendo DS’s, playing _Pokémon Black and White,_ and pretending they were anywhere else.

Chloe and Dean walked past and they both looked up. “Where you going?” Tom asked.

Chloe sighed, turning to them. “Oh, uh, hi Tom- Daisy. Listen, if my mum and dad ask where I am, just say I’ve… gone to the loo, okay?” She started to turn away again.

“Why?” Tom challenged, sounding bitter, and Daisy furrowed her brow at him.

“Because I’m asking you to. Because I’m Danny’s sister and your his best friend.” Chloe explained. She nodded, “okay?” and tried to leave again.

Something inside Tom snapped though. “Why does everyone keep saying that?” He yelled. “I’m not his best friend! I hated him!”

Chloe’s mouth fell open, and behind her Dean took a step forward, holding his hand up. “Whoa take it easy-” he warned him.

But Tom kept going. “And you know what? I’m glad he’s dead!”

“Tom!” Chloe shouted incredulously, eyes widening, she looked like she was gonna punch him.

Dean grabbed her by the shoulders before she could go on. “Come on, come on.” He said, guiding her gently but firmly out the door with a look over his shoulder to the two kids.

Daisy’s head snapped over to Tom, but he clenched his jaw- keeping his face determinedly devoid of any emotion as he stared at the far wall. She opened and closed her mouth a few times in an attempt to say something- anything, but she was at a loss. Without a word she stood up and left him. She looked over her shoulder before turning the corner, but he steadfastly refused to watch her go.

 

At dinner that night Daisy studied her father from across the kitchen table, chin on her hand.

Alec squinted at her, studying her right back as he took another bite of his dinner roll and swallowed. “Something on your mind, Dais?”

Her eyes squinted impossibly further, mirroring his look. “There’s something I need to tell you.” She finally said slowly.

Alec raised his brows and looked over to Rose, who just shrugged in response, before making a sort of ‘go-on’ motion with the bread in his hand. “Well?” He prompted her.

She sat back in her chair, picking up her fork to trail it aimlessly through the  mostly untouched food on her plate. “Today, at the Trader’s, Tom shouted at Chloe.” She told him, wincing a bit as both her parents balked and sat forward, waiting for her to elaborate. Her eyes flickered up to them for only a second before going back to her plate. “He said that he hated Danny… and that…” She drifted off, biting her lip.

“And what, Dais?” Alec asked her seriously.

At last she looked up to him fully, face wholly portraying her discomfort. “He said he was glad that Danny’s dead.”

Rose’s hand flew to her lips, eyes widening as she turned to her husband. Alec closed his eyes, letting out a long breath. When he opened them again his face was carefully passive. “Thank you for telling me sweetie.” He said, giving her a comforting look.

Daisy nodded smally, shoulders falling slightly as she finally felt a bit better. She wondered how anyone could ever possibly keep secrets- if it meant always feeling like she had all day.

 

_[Monday, 16th of September]_

“Toast?” Ellie asked him by way of greeting Monday morning. “Since when do you eat here?”

Alec barely glanced up from where he was spreading salted butter over two slices of white bread. All they had at home was 100% whole-grain _bullshit_ , and organic jam. He was _stressed,_ goddammit- he needed _empty carbs._ He took a determined bite of the wife-disapproved breakfast and didn’t answer his DS. He nodded to the papers in her hands as they walked to his office. “What’s that?” He motioned with his toast.

“Full forensics report from the burned out boat.” She answered him. “Blood, hair, and prints matching Danny’s, and paint chips matching the colour of Danny’s skateboard.”

He shook his head, walking around his desk. “Why would they have Danny’s skateboard in the boat?” He wondered out loud.

Ellie followed him in, sitting down on the arm of the couch. “And traces of a cleaning product- same one used on Danny’s body.” She went on.

“While they were transporting Danny down the coast, the killer tried to clean off any traces they might have left on the body.” He observed.

Ellie nodded. “But it was a domestic cleaning product,” she reminded him, “probably nicked from the supplies in the hut. Which would leave us to believe it wasn’t planned, any of this. Boat nicked from the beach, cleaning fluid nicked from the hut- the killer was improvising.”

Alec nodded slowly, squinting and pointing to her in response before disappearing into his office with another determined bite of toast.

 

With a full report from the forensics on the boat, they ended up back at the _Echo_ news offices to talk to Olly again.

“Who knew that the boat was moored there?” Alec asked him.

Olly shrugged noncommittally. “Well it wasn’t exactly a secret. Pretty much anyone who walked down on the beach there.”

Alec pulled out his notebook and started flipping through for the original notes from weeks back. “And when did you last use it?”

“Oh ages back… um…” Olly paused for a second as he tried to recall. “Oh, we went paintballing down the coast, with Tom and Danny.” He looked to Ellie. “Six months back, maybe? Yeah it was that really hot weekend back in March, I think.”

Ellie’s brow furrowed at her nephew. “Tom’s never been paintballing.” She argued.

Olly sucked his teeth, rocking back on his heels. “Oh… no, yeah, that’s right. Mark asked Joe because he knew you’d say no to Tom using weapons.”

Ellie pulled her chin back. “What?” She demanded, and Alec looked over to her hesitantly as Olly went on.

“Uh, so it was me, Tom, Danny, Nige Carter, and Mark.” He explained. “Legendary day- still got the pictures.” He grinned at his aunt, not recognising her displeasure. “...It’s probably the last time I spent any time with Danny…” He observed distantly.

Alec sighed. As the day went on it was getting harder and harder to tell his DS what Daisy had told him happened at the funeral reception. No parent wants to find out their kid is keeping secrets from them. Even small stuff like going paintballing was clearly throwing Ellie for a loop. How would she handle learning Tom had been lying about his relationship with Danny around the time of his murder?

He sighed, shaking off the thoughts and looking back at the notes he’d just taken. “So all these people knew about the boat? How the motor started and all?” He questioned, and Olly nodded. “Who else?”

He shrugged again. “Loads of people… I mean, Mum lets people borrow it for cash whenever they liked. Everyone’s had a go on it at one time or another…” He drifted off at Alec’s look- clearly looking for specific names. “Uh, Brian, from the Kings Arms, Kevin the postman, at least three of Tom’s teachers, Paul Coates too.” He listed off, shoving his hands in his pockets.

 

Beth stepped into the diner. It was a small place, just off the motorway, halfway between Broadchurch and Sandbrook. A woman waved to her from the table towards the far end of the restaurant.

“I recognised you from your photo.” Cate Gillespie said as Beth sat down across from her.

Beth smirked. “Same. I recognised you straight away.” They both let out little awkward laughs. “Wow,” She breathed. “This is weird, right?”

“Yeah.” Cate nodded. “I was surprised, when Rose called. But I guess I shouldn’t have been. You’ve got DI Tyler-Hardy on the case then?” She asked, even though she obviously already knew the answer. “He cares a lot. I know how he seems, and what the papers have been saying, but-”

“I know.” Beth interrupted her spiel, smirking a bit. “Rose is Danny’s teacher, and she’s my best friend… I mean, I’ve slept over at their house more times in the last month than I can count.”

Cate pressed her lips together at that. “Your husband…?”

Beth looked down to the checkered tablecloth between them. “It’s complicated.”

Cate nodded, letting out a long breath and waiting until Beth looked back up before she went on. “Just… just make sure you can trust him.” She said quietly. “Make sure you can trust everyone around you, Beth.”

Beth felt like she’d just had cold water poured over her as she nodded. “I keep praying they’ll find his killer, but at the same time I’m terrified for it.”

Cate sighed. “Listen, I’m sorry for what you’re going through.” She said. “I understand the pain.”

“You’re the first person to say that that I’ve properly believed.” Beth let out.

“I know,” Cate smirked half-heartedly. “Do you get those people who are so desperate to tell you how deeply they feel your pain, and you’re thinking, ‘piss off- you haven’t got a clue.’”

Beth nodded quickly. “Yeah, it’s like they stick to you. They won’t leave you alone. They’re so desperate for you to feel grateful.”

“And they haven’t got a clue about grief.” Cate shook her head. “Not real grief, not like this is.” She sighed again, looking out the window. “I used to assume that grief was something you could fight and vanquish, but it’s not… It’s an  external thing, like a shadow. You can’t escape it, you just have to live with it. And it doesn’t grow any smaller. You just come to accept that it’s there… I’ve kind of grown fond of it after awhile.” She looked back to Beth. “Is that mad? Have I gone too bleak too quick?” She smirked half-heartedly.

“You’re like the first person I’ve met to talk any sense.” She shook her head. “My husband’s gone back to work, and my daughter, she’s back at school. But I don’t want to. I don’t want to go back to work. It doesn’t feel right.”

“Of course not.” Cate agreed.

“And I just keep feeling like I wish there was a handbook for this, a guide. ’Cos, minute to minute, what do I do?” She looked up to her desperately.

Cate let out a long breath. “I don’t know, Beth.”

“What do you do?” She pleaded.

Her shoulders lifted in a sort of aborted shrug. “I worked for a bit, but I got terrible headaches. I couldn't concentrate. And also that nagging sense of pointlessness. ‘What does it matter if I don't finish this work? The worst has already happened.’”

Beth felt her hope draining. “So how do you keep busy during the day?” She asked, and it was definitely begging at this point.

“Honestly?” Cate paused for a long moment. “I go to bed. I sleep. Then when I wake up and it's still the same, I have a drink… And then another drink. Then I cry, for a couple of hours, maybe. Then I watch TV. Unless it reminds me of my little girl. Which it does. And so I take a sleeping pill…” She watched Beth’s shoulders deflate, and she shook her head. “I'm sorry. You probably came here looking for answers. I don't have them. My life got stolen that day. The best part of me was killed. And I can't get back from that… Maybe you'll do better than me.”

Beth felt like whatever small amount of hope she’d managed to build over the last few months was smothered in an instant.

 

Paul was on his second walk of the day when Tom caught him up. “Paul!” He called, and the vicar turned around to see the young boy running towards him.

“Oh, hello mate.” Paul greeted him, furrowing his brow a bit.

“I wanted to ask you something.” Tom said, out of breath slightly. “If someone accidentally deleted something from a hard drive, is it gone forever? … My dad accidentally deleted something.”

“Uh, no.” Paul shook his head, distantly wondering why this was something that he’d been flagged down for. “There are recovery programs, and if that doesn’t work the right tech expert can probably get it back.”

Tom nodded. “Okay, thanks.” His voice was quieter.

Paul smirked, “I won’t charge this time.” He quipped before walking off again.

 

Chloe couldn’t stand the stares any longer. The whispered conversation.

She stared out the window in Biology, just across the way she could see the primary school boys playing football. She used to be able to spot Danny out there sometimes.

_Not anymore. Never again. She’d never see her little brother again._

When she felt the tears running unwarranted down her cheeks, she grabbed her bag and walked out before anyone could ask.

 

Beth sat in her car for a long while after Cate had pulled away.

She felt worse than she had before. The small bit of hope that she’d been carrying around that she’d get through this all but completely gone now. She took a deep breath and called Rose.

“Hello?” Rose answered on the second ring, and Beth was so surprised (it was the middle of the school day after all) that she forgot to reply. “Beth? Are you there?” Rose went on, worried now. “Is everything all right?”

Beth sniffed. “Yeah-” she cleared her throat. “Yeah, I’m- yeah.”

“God, I knew I shouldn’t have let you talk to Cate.” Rose groaned. “Beth, her situation is so different from yours. You’re not alone in this.”

Beth nodded before she remembered Rose couldn’t see her. “Yeah, yeah I know. I just- I hoped. I thought- I don’t know… I don’t know what I was expecting.”

Rose took a deep breath, for once at a loss of what to say, and Beth hung her head in silent resignation as she told her to come back into town. Beth only managed a small noise of agreement this time before she hung up and threw her car into gear.

The drive back to Broadchurch felt blurry and static-filled. She could feel herself moving, but not with the intention of doing so- like she was autopilot. Before Beth really knew that she’d decided to she was pulling into Chloe’s school with the intention to check her out a few hours early.

She heard the receptionist greet her, and she tried her best to smile in return, but then the woman kept speaking, and it was like she was hearing the words through glass.

“Chloe’s already left.” She said, and Beth felt the ground slip out from beneath her. “At lunch. She told us she was only having to do half-days…”

Distantly, Beth saw the concern and recognition of a mistake on the receptionists face, but it hardly mattered. She pulled out her mobile to ring her mum as she ran out of the school office without another word. “Mum, is Chloe there?” She asked frantically, not offering any explanation, and hanging up as soon as Liz informed her that she wasn’t.

She pushed the school’s front doors opened and dialed Mark. “Mark. Chloe left school at lunchtime and she didn't come home-” She started.

“They let her?” Mark cut her off incredulously.

“Well, she told them she had an agreement she only had to do half days at the beginning.”

“You're joking.”

Beth shook her head, holding back tears as fear settled in her gut. “Her phone's going straight to answerphone. She's not at home, she's not with Mum. I don't know where she is-” she couldn’t do this. _Not again. Not again-_

“It's all right.” Mark’s voice broke through her panic again. “I'm coming.”

 

He was there within ten minutes but it felt like ten years to Beth. He said something to her, but it didn’t process right away. “She's got a what?” She asked incredulously as they drove well above the speed limit towards the country roads.

“A boyfriend.” Mark sighed.

“Since when?”

“I don't know.”

“When were you going to tell me about it?”

“I forgot.” Mark shook his head. “It was happening when all that Jack Marshall stuff was kicking off. There was a lot going on… You and I were barely talking.”

Beth still felt like cold water had been poured down her back. “So you like this Dean?” She asked. “Did she meet him at school or what?”

“No… He's a bit older.” He answered hesitantly.

Beth’s chin tilted down at that. “How much older?”

Mark paused before letting out a long tired breath. “Seventeen.” He mumbled.

Her eyebrows shot into her hairline. “Brilliant. Brilliant.” She exclaimed sarcastically. “And you're all right with this?” She was near shouting now.

“I'm far from bloody all right with it!” He yelled. “But I don't want to push her away right now, do I?”

Beth barely gave him time to finish the sentence before she was shouting over him. “And you don't even have this seventeen year old _man’s_ phone number-” She accused.

“He's lives on a farm past Brady Hill, all right?” He cut her off, and then finally lowered his voice. “She'll be there, and I'm sure she'll be all right.”

Beth stared at her husband at that, shaking her head minutely. “How can you ever say that now?” She whispered.

Mark’s jaw clenched, and they stayed silent for the rest of the way until they pulled into the Thomas’s farm. They slammed the van’s doors shut behind them as they yelled for their daughter. “Dean! Chloe! Chloe, darling! Chloe!”

Beth spied movement through one of the dust ladden windows of the barn, and she and Mark pulled the sliding door back. “Chloe.” Beth breathed, as they entered. Chloe was facing away from them, headphones firmly in place over her ears, while beside her Dean was playing video games. Her boyfriend looked up as they came in, and immediately paused his game, standing up to get Chloe’s attention.

Chloe spun around, pulling the headphones down and squinting at her parents. “Mum? Dad?”

“What the hell are you doing?” Mark asked, but it sounded tired more that accusatory.

Chloe shrugged. “Dancing.” She answered, and then looked up to her boyfriend. “Dean made me a happy room.” She said by way of explanation, clasping her hand in his as she smiled proudly.

Beth looked around the room for the first time at that. There were a few couches and chairs set around a television. Colorful lights were strung up towards the ceiling, and music and games sat scattered around. “A what?” Mark asked dumbly.

“Somewhere she can just shut herself away.” Dean answered. “Enjoy herself without feeling guilty.”

Beth closed her eyes. “What happened at school?” She asked, shaking her head.

Chloe’s face fell. “Everybody stared- like I was a freak… I rang Dean. He came and got me. I just wanted a break from being sad. I loved Danny. You know I loved him. But I need a break from being… the dead boy's sister. It's suffocating me, and I know you can't understand that-”

“No, we do. Of course we do.” Mark cut her off. “Don't we?” He looked to Beth, and she nodded in agreement. “Yeah.”

A few seconds of understanding silence passed before Chloe spoke again. “Are you keeping the baby?” She asked, figuring there was never going to be a good time to ask, but a rare moment of understanding and the unexpected lack of shouting seemed like a decent opportunity.

Both their heads snapped up to stare at her with wide eyes. “How do you know that?” Beth asked incredulously.

Chloe rolled her eyes. “For God's sake, Mum, I heard you fighting.”

 

Rose ended the call with Beth just as Alec came through the door. “All right, glad everyone is okay. Yeah, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Bye, dear.” She placed her phone down as her husband fell into the space next to her, looking even more worse for ware than usual. She ran her hand through his hair, though it appeared he’d been doing so as well all day. “You okay?” She asked quietly.

Alec shook his head, huffing out a shaky breath. “Chest pains.” He mumbled bitterly, leaning into her touch as her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck.

Rose sighed, fighting back the impulse to chastise him. “Your doctor called.” She told him instead, ignoring the way his shoulders stiffened as she went on. “He said if you don’t get this surgery-”

“The surgery could kill me.” He cut her off.

“No, _your heart_ is _going_ to kill you, Alec. He told me _six months-_ and that’s only if you rest, which you and I both know full well that you aren’t.” Tears were welling up in her eyes now, making her throat tighten and her voice shake.

“I’ll be fine. I  just need to finish this-”

Rose sat back at that, crossing her arms protectively in front of her. “And what about me and Daisy, huh? What about your family, Alec? Have you thought about what we’d do if you kill yourself trying to solve this case?”

Alec stared at her incredulously. “Of course I have! How could you-”

“How could I wonder if you care about us when you aren’t even taking care of yourself?” Rose cut him off, standing up from the sofa and turning to set him with a hard look. “I don’t know, Alec. Maybe I’m just tired. Haven’t gotten much sleep lately.” She bit out the cutting words, not giving him a chance to reply before she stormed off, shutting their bedroom door behind her.

 

Maggie Radcliffe sat back in her chair, running through her conversation with Ellie from the day before.

_“What did you find on Susan Wright?” Maggie asked._

_Ellie seemed distracted. “We looked into it. I don’t think anything was flagged up.”_

_Maggie wrinkled her nose, furrowing her brow. “You don’t think?” She asked incredulously._

_“Well I wasn’t on it. Someone else was.”_

_“I had hoped this would get your personal attention.”_

_Ellie set her with a dead sort of look. “I’m in the middle of a murder inquiry, Maggie. I’m sure you can look into it yourself.”_

The Echo news office was empty now except for her and Olly who was around somewhere. She bit her lip in silent contemplation before sitting forward and dialing the phone.

It wasn’t until she was ending the conversation that Olly came round the corner. “Anytime between 1985 and 2000- there’s a bottle of Jameson in it for you… Yeah, I’ll email all my details through, and you ring me when you’ve had a look through… Okay, love to the family.” She hung up just as Olly was grabbing his coat and bag. “Ah, Olly! You haven’t got any plans for tonight have you?”

“Yes, actually. I was going to meet-”

“Good! Put your bag down. Help me finish going through this old rolodex here.” Maggie cut him off, ignoring his eye roll and long suffering sigh as he did as he was told. “If the police won’t follow up on Susan Wright, we’ll have to do it ourselves.” She chuckled to herself. “We’ll be like Woodward and Bernstein…”

Olly squinted at her. “Who are they like Morecambe and Wise?”

Maggie gave him a disgusted look. “God, I hate the young.”

 

An hour later the old fax machine whirred to life.

“Who still uses a fax?” Olly asked incredulously.

“Terry. And he’d still be using inkwells if they would let him.” Maggie answered with a smirk, shoving her glasses on as she picked up the pages. “But I’ll tell you what! He knows where to find anything you need… Golden, this is, Olly!”

Maggie shoved a letter into an envelope, and at sunrise she stuck it to the door of Susan Wright’s caravan.

 

_[Tuesday, 17th of September]_

Tom stood on the beach near the cliffs, watching the waves crash against the shore. He was going to be late for school now, taking this detour, but he couldn’t find it within himself to care.

Next to him, the black lab he’d met at the arcade a few months back now ran towards the water. “Vince!” Tom called, remembering the dog’s name. “Vince! Come here, boy!”

His owner appeared beside Tom then, and he smiled politely. “Hello again,” she started, “remember me? Susan.”

Tom nodded. “Oh, hi.”

“You’re out early,” she observed mildly.

“Yeah,” Tom shrugged, “I’m just walking.”

“You want to be careful.” Susan warned him. “You know this is near where that boy died.”

Tom nodded slowly, rocking back on his heels. “I knew him.” He said eventually, not exactly she why he had. “He was my friend.”

Susan’s face changed at that, but not to the normal face people gave him whenever they found out he had been Danny’s friend. He was grateful for that, even if he didn’t recognize the look she was giving him. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said.

“Thanks.”

There was a long silence after that, until Susan stepped forward again, getting back his attention. “Do you want to come and feed Vince with me?” She offered. “He’ll love you forever.”

Tom looked to the side for a moment as he considered that. He knew that if Daisy had been with him she would have thought of a quick excuse and dragged him in the other direction quick as she could. But she wasn’t with him. And neither were any of the rest of the people who would have told him to say no. Besides, this was still Broadchurch. In June, he wouldn’t have had to think twice. He shouldn’t have to now either.

“Okay,” he finally agreed, and followed her up the beach towards the caravan park.

He sat in her sitting room, feeding Vince some treats, and she sat across from her. “You said I could take him out for walks sometimes?” Tom asked.

“Course,” Susan shrugged. “Well, you know where we are now. You can take him out any time you like.” She smiled kindly, and Tom nodded as he fed Vince another dog biscuit. Susan studied him for a moment before she went on. “Did you really know that boy who died?” She asked.

“Yeah, he was my friend.” Tom repeated his earlier statements, hoping she’d drop it.

“That can’t be nice for you.” She went on though.

“Well, my mum’s in the police.” Tom deflected. “She’s the detective on the case.”

Susan raised her brows at that. “Is she now?” Tom nodded, and she mirrored the response before tilting her head behind her. “Come here, Tom. I want to show you something.” She stood up, and walked to the other side of her home. “Come on, don’t be shy.” She grabbed a set of keys off the counter and went to unlock the closet, Tom right behind her.

“Have a look in here,” she said, “do you know what that is?”

Tom’s mouth fell open slightly when he saw what she was gesturing to. “It’s Danny’s…” He whispered.

“That’s right. I’ve been looking after it.” She told him. “But if you were a friend of his, then I think it’s only right that you have it. Don’t you think?”

Tom nodded in agreement, feeling his stomach twist uncomfortably, but unsure of as to why.

 

Ellie was holding Fred in the dining room when she heard the front door close, and she heard Joe call from somewhere else in the house. “Is that you, buddy?”

“Yep!” Tom answered, “Dad! Come look at what I’ve got!”

Ellie squinted at that, and walked out to see Tom standing in the foyer, holding a skateboard.

“Mate, why aren’t you in school-” Joe cut himself off at the same time Ellie cut off the “are you okay-” she had started as they saw what their son was holding.

“Tom, what’s that?” Ellie asked him, even though she already knew the answer.

Tom looked confusedly between his parents expressions. “It’s Danny’s skateboard.”

Joe walked forward, “mate, why do you have Danny’s skateboard?” He asked roughly, moving to take it from him, but Ellie stopping him last second, handing him Fred instead.

“Tom, put it down.” She ordered gently.

“Why?”

“Put it down really gently,” she repeated, already pulling out her phone to call Alec. “No one else is gonna touch it.” She gave Joe a pointed look as Tom did as he was told. “Okay, Tom, now tell me the truth. You won’t be in trouble if you tell me the truth. Where did you get that from?”

Tom’s voice was small. “Someone gave it to me.” He answered, seeming frightened now in the confusion.

“Who gave it to you, sweetheart?”

 

Minutes later two cop cars were pulling up along with Ellie’s to Susan Wright’s caravan.

Alec pounded on the door. “Susan, it’s DI Tyler-Hardy can you open up please?”

He waited a second, but there was no response. He tried the handle but it was locked, so he backed down the stairs and nodded to the uniforms behind them. “Right, get it open.” He ordered.

They got the door open with a crowbar, and the two detectives marched in only to find it empty. “Get SOCO here,” Alec shouted to the men outside. “We have to find her. She can’t be far.”

Ellie’s phone rang then.

 

Maggie and Olly sat across from Susan in the back archives of the _Echo_ news offices.

“Thank you for popping in Susan,” Maggie started mildly. “I did a little digging on you. Friends in low places, see.” Susan raised her brows, and Maggie pushed forwards the faxes sent over last night.

**‘MY FINAL CONFESSION’ -JIM STEVENSON FOUND HANGED IN HIS CELL**

“I know about your husband,” Maggie told her, “and your children. And what was said, but never proved about you.”

Susan kept her face carefully passive, but her voice wavered slightly as she responded. “What do you want from me?”

“You threatened me.” Maggie answered cooly. “And I want you to know that I’m the one that dobbed you into the police… Isn’t that right, Detective Inspector?”

Susan turned around to see Alec and Ellie standing in between the shelving units. “Come on,” Alec said, guiding her out to where two other officers were waiting to lead her to the car.

She went peacefully, until she stepped outside and saw her dog wasn’t where she’d left him. “Where’s my dog?” She yelled suddenly, making like she was going to run, but the officers grabbed her. “WHERE IS MY GOD? BLOODY ANSWER ME WHERE IS MY DOG?” She struggled against them, but they managed to get her in the car, shutting the door behind her and cutting off her shouts with it.

 

Rose looked up as Daisy came dashing into her classroom in the middle of a lesson.

“Daisy, what are you-”

“Tom’s just texted me.” She interrupted her, holding her phone up.

Rose took in the worried expression on her daughter’s face. “Just, work on your projects.” She told her class quickly before following Daisy out into the corridor. “What’s happened?” She asked, closing the door shut behind her.

Daisy handed her mum her phone wordlessly so she could read through the messages from Tom, though they were just a number of panicked texts that were mostly out of context rambles. Something about a dog, a skateboard, Susan Wright, and his mum being upset. And at the end he’d sent a screenshot of a tweet from a Broadchurch resident- a picture of Susan Wright being arrested outside the _Echo._

“Do you think she did it, Mum?”

Rose looked up from the phone at that finally. “I don’t know, sweetie. We’ll just have to wait and see what happened. Did Tom not come to school today?”

Daisy shook her head and Rose took out her own phone at that. She didn’t have any messages though accept from of the parents at the church asking about Sunday school snacks, and a number of texts from Daisy that she’d tried sending before running to her classroom.

“Sorry I didn’t see these.” Rose sighed and tucked a stray hair behind her daughter’s ear. “But I would rather you stayed in class.”

“It’s my lunch period.”

“Okay, then I’d rather you eat lunch.” Rose edited, giving Daisy a knowing look.

 

Chloe had woken up to her Dad telling her she wasn’t going to school. Which was surprising in and of itself- seeing as she’d skipped school yesterday. It was even more surprising, however, when an hour later they were standing outside the arcade. “Dad, what are we doing here?”

“What do you think?” He grinned over to them and started digging in his pockets, pulling out change. “Right Here's yours. And Beth.” He doled out the coins. “Let's see who wins the most, eh? Who can get the most value out of the 2p.” He started walking backwards towards the arcade.

Beth and Chloe shared a confused, yet amused look. “Is he being serious?” Chloe asked.

“Are you serious?” Beth called.

“Of course I'm being serious! Come on! See who wins the most!”

The girls shook their heads and followed him inside, unable to hide their smirks now as Mark pulled them around to all the games. Beth immediately won a bucket full of tokens and her and Chloe used them to play air hockey while Mark did his best on the grabbers- winning a small stuffed dog.

All morning they laughed and played and _had fun_ for the first time in months.

 

At noon they sat on the wall overlooking the wall, with fish and chips between them. “Now, was that good or was that good?” Mark grinned over to his family.

“That was good.” Chloe laughed.

Beth smiled over to her. “We did this all the time when you were little.”

“Yeah, when it was pissing it down with rain.” Mark nodded, “all four of us.”

Chloe smirked at the reminder of her brother. It didn’t hurt as much right now as it normally did. “Danny would've spent it all on the grabbers.” She joked.

Mark snorted, “and lost.”

“We'll have to bring the baby when it's born.” Beth observed, making her daughter and husband look over to her in surprise. “They’ll love all the noises and flashing lights.”

“Yeah.” Mark looked like he was about to cry as he smiled at that thought. “Yeah, we will have to do that.”

 

Alec sat forward across the table from Susan Wright.

“Why did you have Danny Latimer’s skateboard?” He asked again to no response. “Why did you give Danny Latimer’s skateboard to Tom Miller?” Susan continued to stare back at him passively, like she couldn’t hear him. “What’s your favorite color? … I can do this all day.” He assured her, raising his brows.

Susan smirked at that. “Not by the look of you, you can’t.” She threw back, squinting in challenge as her arms remained crossed in front of her. “I want to see my dog.” She said, not for the first time that afternoon.

“What, solicitor not good enough?” Alec replied boredly, earning a dead sort of look from the solicitor that he ignored.

“I’m not saying anything until I’ve seen my dog.”

“I don’t think you’re in a position to bargain.”

“We’ll see.”

Alec folded up his files, and next to him Ellie followed suit. “Take some thinking time. No rush.” He said casually, before flinging open the door.

In the hallway though, he started shouting again. “Find her bastard dog. Now.” He ordered.

In his office he pulled out his mobile to see one lone message from Rose. **-Just got back home from school. Call me when you can. (Don’t worry, nothing is wrong. I just haven’t heard from you).**

Alec stared at the text for a few moments. They’d spent the better half of the last night intermittently yelling at or crying with each other. Rose was dead set on him getting this surgery, and in the end Alec agreed only after the case was over, but he knew Rose could tell her was still on the fence about it. Still trying to convince himself he’d get better on his own.

He pressed the call button before he could think about how much work he still needed to do.

“Hey,” Rose answered on the first ring, and immediately Alec felt the tension fall out of his shoulders.

“Hey,” he said softly, and it was probably the first thing he’d said all day that wasn’t shouted. “Is everyone okay?”

“Yeah, of course. I think Daisy is bit worried about Tom. Says he’s been acting weird all day. But all she’s been doing is texting him, so who knows? How are you doing?”

Alec scrubbed his free hand down his face at that. “Oh, you know, been better. You haven’t happened to have seen a stray dog running around anywhere have you?”

Rose furrowed her brow at that. “Uhm, no. Can’t say I have. Sorry. Is it important?”

Alec rubbed at his eye, the never ending headache of the day only being slightly soothed by his wife’s voice. “A bit yeah, but nothing you need to worry about. Shot in the dark.”

“Okay… I can take it based on your tone that you won’t be home for dinner, then?”

“No, I’m sorry, Rose. You know I would be if I could.”

Rose gave a small sort of smile. “Of course, love. Just be careful, okay?”

“Yeah, will do. I love you.”

“Love you too. Bye.”

“Bye.” Alec hung up the phone and leant forward heavily against the desk, putting his face in his hands and groaning in frustration.

 

At nightfall, Reverend Paul Coates was walking along the perimeter of the woods lining the church as he often did in a desperate attempt to stave off the insomnia, when he heard a sort of loud banging and cracking coming from within the trees.

Stepping carefully, Paul followed the noise until he found Tom Miller, grunting as he frantically destroyed his laptop with a rock.

“Tom?” He called, giving the boy a confused look. “What are you doing?”

 

Ellie hung up the phone quickly, grabbing her coat as she ran to Alec’s office. “Sir-”

“Tell me you’ve found the dog.” He groaned, not looking up from the files in front of him.

“No-”

Alec started shouting again as soon as the word came out of her mouth. “Find the dog! We need to dog! She won’t talk without the bloody dog!”

“Sir- Sir, will you shut up for a second!” She shouted over him.

Alec pulled his chin back at that. “Did you just tell me to shut up?” He asked incredulously.

“Sir,” Ellie tried again, “front desk just had a call. There’s been a break in at the cliff top hut.”

“The murder scene? That’s sealed off!”

“Yeah, but someone’s reported torchlight inside.”

Alec finally jumped up at that. “Well don’t just stand there wittering, Miller!” He grabbed his coat and walked past her out the the office. “Come on!”

 

They pulled up outside the hut and Alec motioned her towards the back entrance while he took the front. She stepped carefully towards the door, squinting in through the windows. She reached for the handle, but a second later the door was flying into her face, knocking her out of the way as a man dressed all in black ran past her.

“Sir!” She called for Alec, but he was already running past her, chasing after the assailant. She yelled into her radio as she sprinted after them. “Suspect heading for the boatyard! West Harbour Lane!”

The man hopped over the fence. “STOP!” Alec shouted, as they ran around it’s side, splitting up again to cover their bases.

Ellie stopped between two boats. She could see Alec’s torchlight shining through a few spaces down. “We know you’re in there!” She called. “We’ve got the place surrounded! You can’t get out!”

Her phone started ringing and she cursed as she pulled it out. “Bollocks,” she turned away as she tried to get it to stop, but then the man was crashing into her again, pushing her into gravel and sprinting away.

Alec came around the other side, charging after him, but he stopped suddenly on a scream, clutching at his chest as he bent over in pain. He fell to the ground.

“Sir? What?” Ellie yelled frantically, coming to his side. “What is it? Sir, what’s the matter?”

Alec was in too much pain to answer her. He pressed desperately at his chest as he struggled to breathe, only gritting his teeth and grunting in response. The world was spinning. Distantly, he heard the sirens and saw the lights of approaching police vehicles.

“Okay, okay.” Ellie said to him, and then shouted to the officers. “Get after him! Get after him!” And they went running past. “Get an ambulance!” She ordered into her radio. “5892 to control, ambulance required. Senior member of the force down.”

Alec choked on the air he couldn’t manage to get it.

“Don’t you fucking die.” Ellie growled, and it was the last thing he heard before blacking out.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I looked back and realized it had been way longer than I thought it had been since I updated. The majority of this chapter was already written too, so I'm not exactly sure what happened. It looks like I stopped right when I started dating my last boyfriend, and I guess he took priority. Which in hindsight is fucking stupid cus he turned out to be the worst.
> 
> Anyway! Here is an update for you! Thank you so much to everyone who commented on the last chapter. It was actually a more recent comment that reminded me I actually have responsibilities. I guess there's a lesson in that to never be afraid to comment on old works- especially mine. Because most of the times it means I remember to update! Sorry again, I just recently moved to the other side of the country for college so I'm a bit scattered at the moment!
> 
>  
> 
> **Please leave comments! ❤︎**


	7. Episode VII

_ [Wednesday, 18th of November] _

Lifting his eyelids was harder than it should have been- like there were massive weights attached them. Overhead there was a bright white light, and for half a second he was able to convince himself he was dead, but then he heard the beeping of the heart monitor, and with great effort he glanced over to see it as well as the IVs running into his arm.

Alec turned his head, expecting (hoping) to see Rose, but instead the face that came into focus was Ellie Miller’s.

She looked him up and down, mouth drawn in a tight line, and then wordlessly tossed a bag of grapes onto the hospital bed sheets.

He squinted down at them. “What are those?” He asked in between labored breaths.

“They’re grapes.” She answered shortly.

“What’d you bring grapes for?” His voice was rougher than usual as his chest refused to work with him.

Ellie glared impossibly further at him. “I hoped you might choke on the seeds.”

Alec sucked in another breath, trying and failing to keep it from turning into a hiss as the pain in his chest increased. “They’re seedless.” He replied dryly.

“Oh, don’t be a smartarse.” Ellie crossed her arms.

Alec ignored that. “Where’s Rose?”

“She left.” Ellie answered, giving him the sort of look that said she thought he deserved to have his wife walk out on him. “She was here all night- her and Daisy both. Sick with worry. Refused to leave until Paul and I came round.”

“She went to church?” Alec asked incredulously.

“Of course she went to church. She’s Rose and she’s scared and she’s angry.” Ellie snapped.

Alec looked at her sideways. “I’m sensing you’re angry with me too.”

“You nearly died on me!” 

Alec squinted at that, shaking his head. “No-”

“No, you did. They told me.” She interrupted, raising her brows.

He seemed to sober slightly at that information, but chose instead to vocalise his righteous indignation. “They can’t do that,” he insisted.

“And Rose said you’ve been going against doctor’s advice for months? Heart arrhythmia?” Ellie went on angrily. “You should have told me.” She shook her head. “Can’t they fix you?”

“Ah, they- they want to put a pacemaker in, um, but they don’t know whether I’ll survive the operation.”

Ellie pressed her lips together at that. Rose had been a mess when she’d come in that morning. What little she had managed to gather from what little the woman had spoken had not included that bit of information. She let out a long breath. “How long have you been like this?”

“About eighteen months or so.”

Her eyebrows shot into her hairline at that. “So you came down here, you took that case- you took that job, knowing you weren’t up to it.” 

Alec looked to her desperately. “We’re nearly there, Miller. That was the killer last night. I’m sure of it.”

“Sir, you are unfit for duty.”

His breathing was heavy and labored again, as if proving her point. “I have to finish this.” He insisted. “I can’t let the family down… Please, Miller. Don’t tell the Chief Super. Please.”

Ellie looked down to her hands. “I’m going back to work.”

“Miller, wait. Please don’t go. Miller.” Alec called after her as she stood up and went towards the door. “Come back, Miller. That’s an order.”

She ignored him, stepping out into the corridor and closing the door on him- one last desperate plea of “Miller!” getting trapped in the frame.

 

Rose pulled her knees up to her chest as she sat in the back row of the pews. Wednesday morning service had ended an hour ago, and the chapel was empty now save for her. Daisy was off down the corridor in her classroom, probably finding something to keep herself busy, and Paul had retreated back into his office.

She couldn’t stop replaying the last eight hours in her head.

 

_ (Earlier....) _

Rose squinted confusedly down at the unfamiliar number lighting up her mobile at 2:30 in the morning. Under usual circumstances, she wouldn’t have answered, but well… these days weren’t usual.

“Hello?” She answered on the third ring.

“Hello, yes is this Mrs Rose Tyler-Hardy?”

“This is.”

“Mrs Hardy, your husband has just been rushed into critical care at St. Bartholomew Hospital…” Rose’s vision instantly tunneled as she jumped up from the couch, sending her laptop crashing onto the floor. “He’s in stable condition now, but-”

Rose didn’t need to hear the end of that sentence. She knew exactly what sort of condition he was in. Her ears filled with static as she ran around their house trying to find her keys and license and coat. As soon as the receptionist told her she could come in, Rose hung up the phone and dashed into her daughter’s room.

“Daisy, sweetheart, come on.” Rose woke her up gently, even though she could feel her voice shaking as tears threatened to fall. “Your dad’s in the hospital.” She told her as soon as her eyes were open, and watched as they widened. “They said he’s okay, but I’m going to go make sure. Do you want to come with me?” Daisy nodded quickly, already getting up and throwing on clothes. “Okay, I’ll be in the car. Don’t forget your coat.”

She drove to the hospital on autopilot, barely registering the roads they passed. Daisy must have asked her questions, but she couldn’t remember if she’d answered them or not.

Someone tried to tell her it wasn’t visiting hours, but she ignored them.

And then there he was. Unconscious on the hospital bed. He didn’t look like himself like that. He looked  _ frail.  _ She put her hand to his chest and could feel him struggling to breathe. She collapsed into the chair, taking one of his hands in both of hers. Unable to hold it back any longer, her tears flowed unrestrained down her cheeks and into the hospital bed sheets.

Daisy pulled a chair up beside her and hid her face in her mum’s shoulder, sniffing miserably. Eventually Rose was able to pull herself away from Alec just enough to bring Daisy closer to her.

“Is Dad going to be okay?” She asked, looking up to her with wide, tear-filled eyes.

“I don’t know, sweetheart.” Rose answered truthfully. “I don’t know.” She looked back to her husband, all hooked up to machines in a thin paper gown. Her heart broke at the sight.

 

_... _

It was that image that she couldn’t get out of her head. Like he was just barely hanging onto life. He’d come close, they’d told her. He’d nearly died last night. She had almost lost him.

She shoved her head between her knees and tried to stop the ringing in her ears.

 

Ellie glanced over as Brian Young caught up to her on the way towards the cliff top hut. “I hear that shitface is laid up.” He said by way of greeting.

“Shitface?” Ellie repeated, brow furrowing.

Brian shrugged “It's what the lads call him.”

She squinted at him. “Shitface? Not much of a nickname.”

“Well, he does look like shit a lot of the time, doesn't he?” Brian replied flippantly, and Ellie tilted her head in admission. “Is he gonna be all right?”

“Don't know.” Ellie answered distractedly now that they’d reached the hut. “Have you found anything?”

“We're only just up and running. Your boys are checking the slope.” He surmised easily. “So you didn't catch proper sight of this person?”

Ellie shook her head sadly. “No, wish I had.”

 

Rose glanced down as a phone call from Beth came through, but she didn’t answer it.

 

Ellie briefed the team like a pro. “SOCO are back up at the hut after last night. Frank, go through our list of people of interest - those with no alibis or questionable alibis on the night of Danny's death. Find out their movements from last night. The likelihood is, the killer was there. We were very close. They are rattled and they will make more mistakes. Susan Wright is in custody, we've connected her to the site where Danny's body was found. We’re-” She cut herself off suddenly, but picked up quickly again. “I'm continuing to question her, but time is running out before we have to apply for an extension…” She sighed. “Now, I know this may sound daft, but we need to find her dog Vince. We have a picture. The dog is a priority. She's very attached to it and I think it would help her to talk. Uniform have turned up nothing so far.”

She paused, watching them all finish taking notes before she went on. “Now, you probably know the boss was taken ill last night during the pursuit. I don't know when he'll be back.  _ But we carry on. _ Do not get distracted. Our duty is still to the Latimer family.”

 

Rose had eventually gotten up to go back into her classroom where Daisy was setting up the bulletin board she’d completely managed to forget needed to be done by Sunday.

“Oh, Dais, you’re a lifesaver.” She breathed as her daughter stapled another 3-year-old drawn ‘fall prayer leaf’ to the board.

Daisy smirked as she looked over to her. “Yeah, I know… any word on Dad?”

Rose shook her head. “Ellie called to tell me he’s woken up, so that’s good. But nothing more than that.”

“Is he gonna lose his job?”

Rose sighed. “I don’t know, sweetheart. Everything will be okay though, I promise.”

Daisy nodded slowly, and looked up when Reverend Paul walked in. “Hello Tyler-Hardy girls,” he started by way of greeting, earning giggles from the both of them. “How are we doing? Anything I can do to help?”

Rose glanced over to the paper craft picket fence she’d made upon first arrival at Broadchurch, and the flower boxes that Alec had promised he’d hang, but has still neglected to do so. They sat on the bookshelves now- like forgotten projects. It wasn’t something she could do without him.

She looked back over to Daisy.

There were a lot of things she couldn’t do without him.

She cleared her throat suddenly, shaking her head in an attempt to get the morose thoughts from her mind. “Uh, yeah…” Rose wandered over to her desk and pulled out a large stack of tissue paper. “The kids have completely destroyed my paper garden.”

 

Less than half an hour later Paul was up to his neck in glue and paper, while Rose and Daisy looked absolutely fine. “I’m still struggling to see how tissue paper flowers does anything to teach children about Jesus.” He complained, shaking his hand wildly through the air in a desperate attempt to get the paper unstuck from between his fingers, and glaring at Daisy as she laughed at him.

Rose shrugged. “I mean, if you’d like to try and get a group of three to five years olds to sit still and listen to you recite bible verses without any sort of visual aids or activities, you are welcome to try.”

Paul wrinkled his nose. “I think there was reason I became a  _ Catholic _ priest specifically.” He replied dryly. “And at least like twenty percent of that was to stop my mum nagging me about children.”

Rose did finally crack a smile at that, but a second later her mobile started ringing, and her face instantly fell at the number. “Hello, this is Rose Tyler-Hardy.” She answered efficiently, consciously avoiding eye contact from her daughter or the vicar.

“Hello, Mrs Tyler this is Heather from St. Bartholomew Hospital. I was just calling to inform you that your husband has discharged himself from our care.”

Rose closed her eyes, annoyed but not in the least bit surprised. “I’m assuming this was against doctors’ advice?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Rose pressed her lips together, nodding slowly. “Thank you for letting me know.” She hung up the phone without waiting for the nurse’s send off, and leaned forward, groaning as she shoved her face in her hands. “I give up.” She mumbled miserably.

 

“Don't be ridiculous!” Ellie shouted as soon as she saw Alec coming (or more staggering) down the corridor towards the bullpen and his office.

Alec rolled his eyes. “Don't start, Miller.”

She marched up to him, making him pause and lean heavily against the wall. “You can't be here.” 

“Well, I am.”

“You'll kill yourself!” She insisted.

“If that's what it takes.” He grumbled.

Ellie crossed her arms in front of her, shaking her head. “It's not worth dying for.”

Alec looked at her sideways. “Not for you, maybe. Now go away.”

Ellie didn’t flinch though. “It shouldn’t be for you either. With all due respect, sir. You’ve got a wife and daughter at home worried sick about you. We can manage without you.”

Alec ignored the question of his priorities.  _ They were why he was doing this. _ “That's what you've wanted right from the start, this job- the job you think I stole.” He deflected.

“For God's sake, sir!”

“Come on, Miller. With me out you get to lead.” He kept pushing her. “Dream come true.”

Ellie glared at him. “I wouldn't want your job.”

“Don't be daft. If you get offered it, you'd take it.”

She shook her head vehemently. “No, I wouldn't be up to it.” She said, and she really meant it. Seeing what it’s done to him- she didn’t want to risk that.

“Yeah, you're right.”

Ellie pulled her chin back at that, raising her eyebrows. “What?”

“Well, it's a tough job. You've found your level. Rural DS - keep within your limits.”

“Don't tell me what my limits are!” She shouted.

“Then don't tell me to go home!” He threw right back, finally making her stand down. “I can still solve this.”

“For God's sake.” Ellie mumbled. “All right, then.” She gestured for him to go on, and watched with the rest of the officers as he stumbled weakly into his office, closing the door behind him and practically falling against it.

“Right, everyone, back to work.” She ordered.

 

Elaine Jenkins walked in only a few minutes later, not moving from the door frame as he looked up from where he was sitting at his desk. “How are you?” She asked, like she was making conversation.

“Fine.” Alec answered determinedly.

Jenkins stared at him for a few moments. Absolutely nothing about the Detective Inspector looked fine. “I've referred you to the Chief Medical Officer, first thing tomorrow.”

He shook his head. “I'm not leaving till this is solved.” He grit out between his teeth.

“You don't get a choice. As soon as he sees you, you're done, Alec.” She waited for him to answer, but when he didn’t she shook her head incredulously. “Why did you take this job if you knew you were this ill?”

Alec glanced down to the picture of Rose and Daisy on the desk, and didn’t answer. Waiting to look up again until she’d left his office.

Ellie came in immediately after. “You all right?”

He leaned back in his chair with a heavy breath, ignoring the question. “Bring me up to speed,” he requested, and then failed to hide a grimace of pain, “with great economy.”

Ellie sat down on the arm of the sofa and sighed. “Um, Susan Wright's alibi for the night of Danny's death checks out.The owner of the caravan park saw her sitting in the window watching TV with her dog when he left- about 1:30. They'd had a birthday party in the bar which is why he was so late leaving that night. We've had a match at the hut on the cliff for her DNA and prints, but the owner has already confirmed she does clean there. No matches for any DNA on Danny's body.” She summed up the last few hours.

“So she didn't kill Danny?” 

Ellie shook her head. “But she knows something, I'm sure of it.”

“Well then don't sit here talking to me, go and get it out of her.” He ordered, and she paused just long enough for him to just barely warrant adding “go on!”

Ellie rolled her eyes as she left, always pleased of course to be shooed out of her boss’s office like a dog.

 

Ellie pushed the evidence bag towards Susan. “Four cigarettes matching the brand you smoke got excavated close to the spot where Danny's body was found. There are traces from the skateboard in your cupboard. Your prints are on it, as are Danny's.” She surmised, not for the first time. “You lied to us about Mark Latimer getting the keys to the hut. What were you doing on the beach near-”

“Where's my dog?” Susan cut her off. “Where's Vince?”

Ellie ignored the question. “I understand from your record-” She tried again.

“You don't understand anything, love.” Susan interrupted her bitterly.

Ellie let out a long breath, closing her eyes against the headache beginning to form again. “Susan, I've been on this case a long time now. I have lost so much patience. If you don't tell me how you came by the board, I will have you charged. You will be in custody. And when I find your dog, I will have him put down.” She gritted through her teeth. “Now tell me what happened.”

Finally, at the threat, Susan seemed to understand exactly what sort of situation she was in. “I was just going out, up from my caravan. Up the hill onto the cliff top. When we got up there I saw it.”

“Saw what?”

Susan gave Ellie a dead sort of look. “The boy- lying there.”

“Anything else?”

“We walked back down the hill onto the beach.”

“And what time was this?”

Susan shrugged. “Three, maybe four.”

Ellie raised her brows at that. “That's when you walk your dog?” She asked disbelievingly.

The woman got a far off sort of look though as she answered, her eyes travelling to the small shaft of light coming through the frosted glass near the ceiling. “It's lovely during the night round here.”

The detective pressed her lips together. “So you walked down onto the beach…” She prompted.

“He was all… splayed out.” Susan answered quietly. “The skateboard was next to him… He was beautiful.” She spoke to the table.

Ellie squinted at her. “You've got children?”

“Yeah.”

She shook her head confusedly. “If you've got kids, I don't understand how you could stand over Danny's body, smoke, and then carry on walking your dog.”

“I knew he'd be found. I didn't want to get involved. You people destroyed my family.” Susan gave Ellie a disgusted, hateful look.

“How?”

Susan looked away again, shaking her head bitterly. “It don't matter.”

“It does, because it affected how you were when you saw Danny's body.” Ellie insisted, more loudly and sounding quite a lot like Alec as her patience thinned.

There was a long moment where Susan let out a long breath, looking off again and seeming to collect her thoughts. Ellie just watched her, hands folded together and resting on her chin. Until finally the woman spoke again. 

“We had two girls. My husband was an electrician.” She started, resolutely not looking at anyone else in the room. “He used to have sex with the oldest, but I didn't know. Then he tried it on with the young one. Her sister was having none of it. She wanted to protect her little baby sister. So she got herself killed.”

Susan took a deep breath, pausing as she tried to keep the tears at bay. Ellie waited patiently.

“He told me she'd gone travelling. But she'd never said nothing to me. After a while, people started asking questions…” Her eyes fell to Ellie again. “Then you lot came, took the young one into care. Arrested him. He told them that I knew- that I was part of it, but I didn't know.  _ I never knew. _ ”

She sounded desperate as she said that, like she needed someone to believe her, but Ellie just blinked, keeping her face carefully passive as she waited for her to go.

Susan let out another long breath, nodding tiredly. “I was pregnant. Social Services came. They took the baby. They said I wasn't a fit mother… Everything I told the police got twisted- thrown back at me…  He was convicted. Got life. Hung himself in his cell ten months later.” She shook her head. “Death. Once it's got its claws into you it never lets go.” She looked back to Ellie again. “When I was standing on that beach, looking at that boy's body, I just kept wondering if- if my girl looked that peaceful after he killed her…” The tears finally fell. “I don't think she did.”

 

Alec took his mobile out of his pocket. No missed calls or new messages obstructed the picture of Rose and Daisy. It was just some silly picture they’d taken when they’d stolen his phone first day they moved to Broadchurch- before everything went to hell. They were both grinning ear to ear in as they squeezed together in the small frame. He’d set it has his lock screen soon as he’d seen it.

There was a small bit of movement out of the corner of his eye, and Alec looked up to see Daisy standing in the doorway. “Daisy,” he let out, half-convinced he was hallucinating. “What are you doing here?”

She shrugged, tossing  her bag on the floor and sitting down on his couch. “Mum is pretty upset, but I wanted to see you. Y’know… conscious.”

“Does she know you’re here?”

Daisy shook her head. “No, she’s been getting calls nonstop from the entire town since you decided to go stumbling out of the hospital and down high street.”

Alec sighed and pulled up Rose’s name on his phone.  **-Daisy just showed up here.**

Rose replied back within seconds.  **-What? Gah, okay. Do you need me to come get her?**

**-No don’t worry about it. She’s fine hanging around here.**

There was a longer pause after that.  **-Are you okay?** She asked eventually.  **-And please don’t lie to me.**

**-I’m better than I was this morning.**

**-Alec.**

**-I’m not going to die, I promise. No more foot chases.**

**-Hold on, I’m sorry, what? You were chasing someone?**

Alec winced as he realised he’d divulged sensitive information- information Rose would feel and be safer not knowing. But he was also lucky enough to have married a woman who realised that on her own.

**-Nevermind. Forget I asked. Forget you told me.** **  
** **-Please, Alec, just don’t make me have to do all this on my own. I get it, okay? I do. This is important to you. It’s important to me and Daisy, and a lot of other people we care about. But you’re doing that thing again where you think it’s all up to you. The weight of this does not rest squarely on your shoulders. For once, please, share the burden. For all of our sakes.**

Alec stared down at the message for a while, reading it over and over again, wondering how on Earth he came to be so lucky. He could feel the tears welling up behind his eyes and he sniffed, clearing his throat before attempting to find a suitable reply.

Never much a man of many words though, he settled on the three he knew could say everything he was thinking but couldn’t articulate.  **-I love you** , he sent.  **-And you’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll do better.**

**-Thank you. I love you too.**

He clicked his phone shut and looked up to see Daisy giving him a knowing look. “Was that Mum?”

Alec sniffed. “Yeah.”

“You two work things out then?”

“Yeah.”

Daisy smirked, part two of her plan completed, and she could tell by the look on her dad’s face that he knew what she was doing. 

Part three though was, of course, to make sure he didn’t bloody kill himself.

 

“Rose, what is this I’m hearing about your husband discharging himself from the hospital after serious heart problems?” Maggie practically pounced as soon as Rose answered the phone.

“Maggie, I’m going to ask of you the last thing you want to here.” Rose started.

“Oh, please don’t.” She interrupted exasperatedly. 

“But I’m really really going to need to leave it. “ Rose went on. “Please. At least for now. Until this is all over. As soon as it is I promise you I will make Alec answer any and all questions you put to him, but for now please, as a friend, I’m asking you not to run with this. I know it’s a story. I know he’s the lead detective on a high profile murder case. I know that maybe in some way the community should know this. Or at the very least would really appreciate knowing this. I know it’s a story Maggie, but it’s also our lives.”

Maggie let out a long-suffering sigh. “Oh, yes. Alright, fine. Only because you’re a good person. If you were terrible I would run it anyway.”

“Thank you, I know this is hard for you.” Rose chuckled slightly even though she really meant it sincerely.

“I am holding you to that promise though.” Maggie pointed her finger at the receiver. “Any and all questions.”

“Within reason.” Rose added dryly.  _ Her husband was gonna kill her. _

Maggie groaned. “Yes, fine. Within reason.”

 

Daisy made him go out to eat for lunch, and then ordered him a salad before he could even open his mouth. “You know I am actually supposed to be the one parenting you.” He gave her a dry look.

She rolled her eyes, not feeling the need to dignify that with a proper response.

Alec glanced out the window, and froze when he saw Steve Connolly standing out near the pier. He stood up, grabbing hit coat from the back of the chair and setting Daisy with a hard look. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” He told her, not waiting for a response before practically flying out the door.

Steve looked over as the surly detective approached him. “What do you want?” He asked, not kindly.

Alec likewise didn’t waste any more time with pleasantries. “The Latimer case. I'll take anything now- cos I'm running out of time. So if you have anything for me, give it to me now.”

Steve let out a long breath, nodding. “Thank you. It's about time,” he said. “Look, I've been trying to tell you, I got a message from Danny. It was someone he knew. It was someone close to home.”

“What does that mean?” Alec shook his head, trying and failing not to show his annoyance with the vagueness. “Close geographically? Family? Friends? What?”

“I don't know.” Steve shrugged. “Just don't ignore it.”

Alec folded his arms in front of him stubbornly. “Prove to me that you're not a bullshitter.”

He made an exasperated noise at that. “I already gave you something. I told you. You just pretended to ignore it. I said, ‘she wanted to thank you, for pulling her from the water.’”

The detective kept his face carefully passive. “What does that mean?”

Steve took a step back though, seeing through Alec’s thin veil of ignorance.  “You already know! I can see it!” Alec’s jaw clenched and Steve shook his head. “Look, I haven't got a clue what it means. All I get are fragments and that's what I got from you. Just water and appreciation,” he drifted off. “Well… that and that you've been here before.”

He failed to hide his surprise as his eyes widened at the words. “What?” He demanded through gritted teeth.

Steve shrugged, “just that.” He looked up to Alec and saw the face he was making. “You have! You have, you've been here before! I'm right, aren't I? I am.” He had a smug sort of look about him now. “How's it feel having to eat humble pie like this?”

Alec ignored that as he walked back to the restaurant, where he could see Daisy watching him disapprovingly through the window.

 

When Rose’s phone buzzed again it was with a message from Beth.

They’d gone in for the first scan of the baby. Beth attached a picture.

**-Paul reminded us of something you said a while back. That God gives us not what we want, but what we need. I think I finally get that.**

Rose smiled smally to herself.

 

“What I'm struggling with is, I know those cliffs.” Ellie said as she sat across from Susan. “If you're walking your dog, you can't see straight down. You'd have to be right on the edge to see Danny's body lying on the beach. The angle's wrong. So what you're saying doesn't ring true.”

“If you don't believe me, that's your problem.”

“I think you saw more than you're telling us…” She studied the woman for a moment. “So have a good think. Or I will charge you for obstructing a murder inquiry.”

“I didn't see anything.” Susan denied again.

Ellie raised her brows. “Like you didn't see what your husband was up to?” She challenged, leaning forward, and Susan’s jaw clenched as she looked away. “You were out walking when Danny's body was laid on the beach. What did you see?” Ellie asked again more forcefully.

Susan looked around for a bit, her shoulders falling. “A boat,” she finally answered honestly. “I wasn't on the cliffs. I was on the beach. I saw a boat come in.”

Ellie pressed her lips together. “What sort of boat?”

“Little, like a rowing boat. But it had a motor on the back,” she spoke quietly. “I saw it come into shore.”

“How many people on board?”

“ One.”

“Are you sure?”

Susan glared at her. “Certain. I saw him get off.”

“Him? Are you sure it was a man?”

“Yeah.”

“And what did that person do?”

Susan let out a long breath. “He carried the body off the boat and laid it on the beach. Then he got back on the boat and went off.”

“Which direction?”

Susan sounded annoyed now with Ellie’s constant clarification. “West.”

Ellie was unfazed by her tone. “And did you recognise the person that laid Danny's body on the beach?” She waited as Susan kept her mouth shut. “Susan?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Yeah, I did.”

 

Alec left Daisy in his office, following Ellie to her car.

“Nigel Carter? The guy who works with Mark?” He asked incredulously.

“That’s what she said.” Ellie answered, not taking her eyes off the road as she followed the familiar route, two more police vehicles behind her.

When they pulled up they allowed the uniforms to take Nigel in, while Ellie went to comfort his mum and Alec went around back to check the shed. In there he found a lot of hunting equipment- including two separate crossbows. He opened the door leading out the garden.

Sitting there tied to the fence was Susan Wright’s dog.

 

When the got back to the station Alec ordered for Nigel to be taken around so that they wouldn’t pass his office where he thought Daisy was still sitting, but when he got there Daisy was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s my daughter?” He asked the nearest person to him.

“Uh, I saw her go into one of the waiting rooms, I think.” He answered, pointing over his shoulder to the door where the blinds were shut.

Alec nodded in thanks and went in that direction, finding her doing homework on the table set up in the middle. She looked up as he entered. “It seemed like you might have needed me out of your office soon,” she said by way of explanation, shrugging noncommittally.

“Do you not want to go home?”

Daisy shrugged again. “Want to make sure you don’t kill yourself more.”

Alec sighed at that. “I’m not going to-”

“Yeah, I don’t believe you.” She cut him off, giving him a significant look.

He huffed out a breath at his daughter- stubborn as her mother, she was, but he didn’t have time to argue with her. He just rolled his eyes and exited again- needing to interview the new lead suspect.

 

“Run me through where you were the night Danny Latimer was killed.” Alec said as he sat down across from Nigel Carter.

“We went through all this weeks ago, when you had Mark in.” Nigel answered, sounding annoyed. “I was at home with my mum and we was watching telly.”

“What were you watching?”

“Um, a show about baking,” he smiled slightly, “Mum loves that.”

Alec took out the picture of Susan Wright and placed it in front of him. “Do you know this woman, Nigel?” 

He barely glanced at it. “Don't think so.”

Alec tried not to groan as he realised Nigel was going to keep lying to him. “Do you own a dog?” He tried instead.

“Not really.” Nigel shrugged.

“Not really?” Alec repeated, raising his brows. “What, but sometimes you do? The dog comes round part-time?”

Night laughed at that, thinking it must have been a joke. “Ha, no.” He answered, smiling a bit.

But Alec didn’t have time for it. “This amusing to you?” He demanded angrily.

Nigel sobered, seeming to remember that they weren’t currently sitting in the Latimer’s back garden grilling out. “I don't own a dog.” He answered seriously.

“Why was there a dog in your back garden?” Alec challenged.

He glanced down to his hands. “Someone asked me to look after it for 'em.”

And there it was. “The owner? This woman? Susan Wright? Who you said you didn't know?” Alec laid it out before him, watching Nigel wince as he realised what he had done. “If you're gonna lie, you have to be consistent. Cos then there's the issue of your alibi for the night of Danny's death. The one you told us about when we were interviewing Mark. It was good enough for then, but not now. Your mum already told us you weren't in all that night. You went out at half-ten for last orders, she said, when we had Matt Latimer here. So where were you, Nigel?”

 

“You must know Nigel pretty well to recognise him at night from that distance,” Ellie started, once again across from Susan Wright. “When did you last see Nigel?”

“A couple of weeks ago. He came to the caravan. He had a crossbow. Threatened to kill me.” She answered casually.

Ellie pulled her chin back, raising her brows at that. “Okay. Why’d he do that?”

“You'll have to ask him.”

“No, I'm asking you.”

Susan squinted at her. “He didn't like what I was saying,” she answered vaguely.

“What were you saying?”

She smirked and shook her head, “don't remember.”

“You don't remember what you said to make a man threaten you with a crossbow.” Ellie repeated incredulously, setting the woman with a dead look. The routine was getting boring now.

“No, not really.” Susan didn’t back down.

“It happens a lot to you, does it?” Ellie asked sarcastically.

“Off and on.” Susan leaned forward, looking smug and annoying. “It ain't always a crossbow.”

Ellie tried and failed to keep from rolling her eyes as she sighed. “So Nigel threatens you for some unknown reason and you frame him as the killer?” She challenged.

Sudan’s face fell. “It was him carrying that body,” she insisted.

 

Alec gave Nigel a hard look. “How do you know Susan Wright?”

Nigel shook his head again. “I don't want to talk about her. You should have her arrested, have her in for harassment. I told her to leave me alone but she wouldn't.”

Alec raised his brows at that- now they were finally getting somewhere. “When did she start harassing you?”

“The moment she got here. Like four or five months back.”

“What's she harassing you about?” He asked, and then tilted his head down when Nigel pressed his lips together, averting his gaze. “Susan Wright told us she believes you killed Danny Latimer. She said she saw you on the beach with a boat, dragging Danny's body.”

“She's lying!”

Alec sat forward, hoping Nigel’s anger would make him speak. “Did you drag Danny's body onto the beach? Did you kill Danny?” He demanded.

“No, he's my best mate's boy! Why would I?”

He sat back, folding his arms over his chest. “Then why is Susan Wright saying otherwise? What's she got to harass you about?”

There was a long pause following that question, wherein Alec raised his brows in indication that he wouldn’t be backing down, and Nigel let out a long breath until finally he spoke, “... she says she's my mum.”

 

Alec went back into the corridor and knocked on the door Ellie was behind with Susan Wright. He filled her in with the new information.

“Her son?” Ellie repeated incredulously, “and she's accusing him of murder? What's going on between them two?”

Alec shook his head tiredly, placing his tongue between his teeth and cheek. “You'd better ask her,” he sighed, and watched as she walked back into interrogation.

 

“They took him away from me when everything happened.” Susan Wright spoke freely now that Ellie had informed her that she knew what she was hiding. “Then the law changed. You could request contact. Took me 18 months to track him down… He reacted badly. Didn't want nothing to do with me. He threatened me with a crossbow.”

“Does he know about your family, about what happened?”

Susan grit her teeth and sat forward, “you don't tell him.”

Ellie had her hands clasped in front of her face, elbows bent on the table, and she studied the woman for a moment, considering her story. “What I'm having trouble with is if you're his mum and you want to be reconciled with him, why did you tell us he was on the beach that night? I'm a mum, and whatever my child had done, I would want to protect them.”

“I am protecting him.” Susan answered, not missing a beat. “I told you because I'm scared. For him. Because it's not his fault. If he's his father's son, what is he capable of? What might he have done? I can't just let it happen. Not again.”

If that were true though, Ellie thought, then why hadn’t she come forward two months ago?

 

Nigel looked tired.

“Susan Wright told us you threatened her with a crossbow.” Alec informed him.

Nigel stared at the table. “I know,” he started, “and that was stupid… but with everything that was going on, she she didn't belong here. There's enough to deal with.”

“Nigel, you need to tell us where you were the night Danny died.” Alec jabbed a finger down on the table.

He swallowed, and took a long breath before answering. “At night I went out, just for a couple of hours. I went to the estate. Past Oak Farm. They've been laying down pheasant, so I just went and got a couple. I mean, he's got dozens. He don't even know.”

Alec blinked slowly at that. “You were nicking pheasants,” he summed dryly.

He nodded. “Yeah. The butcher in town takes 'em off my hands. It's not like like I'm gonna make me fortune working with Mark… But I forgot to fill up the van. So um, I siphoned some diesel out of his tractor. And then I cut through the barbed-wire fence to make it look like a break-in. But I was nowhere near that beach. Whatever she thought she saw, she didn't.”

Alec sat back, memories of that morning coming back to him. The early morning call out to go look at a tractor and some cut barbed wire. The coastguard calling in the middle of it. He’d forgotten about the farmer the second he’d turned away from him. There’s no way Nigel could have known about it. But then, why was Susan Wright saying she saw him on the beach?

“So she's lying?” He asked out loud.

“Mate, I don't even know who she is.” Nige insisted again, shaking his head vehemently.

Alec sighed. “Do you want to know who she is?” He asked, and watched as Nigel seemed too shocked at the offer to answer. He pushed one of the flies toward him, “because in here there are newspaper articles about her. About her husband. It's your family, Nigel.” 

Nigel stared at the information in from of him, and Alec sat forward. “Interview paused 3:02pm,” he said, hitting stop and leaving the room without another word.

 

“You did what?” Ellie demanded angrily, following him into his office.

“He wanted to know.”

“I promised her!” Ellie shouted. 

Alec squinted at her from across his desk. “What did you do that for?”

“I was gaining her trust!” She shouted

“I was gaining his!” He shouted right back, and then sighed heavily, his chest heaving with the effort. “We have to cut through what's connected to Danny and what isn't,” he rambled, shoving his glasses on as he flipped through yet another file of evidence.

“You're the only one running out of time!” Ellie continued to yell at him. “These are people's lives you’re trampling on! I should make a complaint!” 

Alec barely looked at her. “Go ahead. Add it to the list. I'll sign it for you.” He replied boredly, and then got back to the point. “He's a suspect. He was seen with the body. The information I gave him has bearing on the witness who is accusing him.”

Ellie didn’t back down though, even if she was surprised he bothered to explain his reasoning at all. “You should have let her tell him,” she repeated. “I don't believe Nigel was capable of killing Danny.” 

“Everyone we have interviewed is capable in the right circumstances.” Alec repeated the words he’s been reminding her of every day of this investigation- every day she’s known him.

Ellie groaned “oh, and there’s your view of the world,” she replied bitterly. “I don't know how you sleep.” 

“Who says I sleep?” Alec answered distractedly, reading through the newest report that had been placed on his desk. He looked back up to her, holding up the paper. “Have you seen this? I got them to trace the number of the call that phoned in to tell us the light was on in the hut. It's Danny's mobile. It's the missing smartphone.”

Ellie’s eyes widened, pulling the paper from his hands. “Oh, my God. The killer phoned in?”

Alec let out a long breath and moved to lean heavily against the other wall, resting one arm on the filing cabinets and shaking his head. “Why would he do that? Why tell us where they were and then run? That doesn’t make sense.” He groaned angrily, pulling off his glasses and pressing the heel of his hand against his head to stave off the headache. “Oh, for God's sake. As if working with you wasn't annoying enough, what are they playing at?” He complained.

Ellie glared at him, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care.

“All right,” Alec held out his hand, holding a finger up for every order he gave her. “Get Nigel and Susan released on bail. Have them lodge their passports here and report in every day.”

“You're gonna let them both out together?” Ellie asked incredulously.

Alec plowed on. “I'll cobble together some surveillance. Use some of those numpties they drafted in. Maybe Nigel and Susan are both lying. Let's see what happens.” 

Ellie crosses her arms, “light the blue touchpaper and then retire?”

“We're running out of time!” He shouted.

“Well, you might be!” Ellie shouted right back.

Alec didn’t plan on replying to that, but his mobile rang before he would have been expected to anyway. He furrowed his brow at the vicar’s contact lighting his screen. “Hello? … Yeah … I'll be right over.”  He grabbed his coat as he spoke and was already walking out of his office. 

“Over where?” Ellie called after him, but he ignored her. “You- ugh!”

Alec peeked into the room Daisy had taken residence in. “Come on get your stuff I’m going to the church,” he said shortly, and Daisy didn’t bother asking questions as she shoved her school work into her backpack quickly and followed him towards the exit.

He was moving so fast his vision started blurring, and missed the door handle as he reached for it, losing his footing and crashing slightly into the door.

He felt Daisy’s arm on his back and he glanced over to the officers standing near him trying to look like they were both worried and hadn’t seen the event at all.

“Come on, Dad,” Daisy’s voice broke though the ringing in his ears as she pulled at the handle herself and guided him through.

 

“Just wait here,” Alec said as they stood at the edge of the hill leading up to Saint Bede’s.

“What and let you climb up that hill on your own?” Daisy snorted humorlessly, already starting forward. “Fat chance.”

“Dais the investigation-”

“I’ll walk with you up to the church and then disappear soon as we find Paul,” she cut off her father’s protests smartly, still continuing up the overgrown path.

Alec rolled his eyes and followed.

Paul was waiting for them though right outside the entrance, holding a medium sized cardboard box.

“I’ll leave you to it then,” Daisy said easily, ducking around the vicar and into the church that she knew like the back of her hand.

“I've got something for you,” Paul said, handing over the box. “This is Tom Miller's laptop. I caught him smashing it up in the woods.”

Alec squinted at that. “You just stumbled across him?”

Paul shrugged. “I was out walking. It's the route I take,” he explained easily.

“Do you know what he was trying to get rid of?” Alec looked down at the smashed computer perplexed.

“I've no idea,” Paul shook his head.

“Why did he do that, just after his best mate's died?” The DI mumbled to himself more so than to the vicar.

Paul tilted his head. “Were they best friends? I didn't see much evidence of it. I had to break up a fight between them.”

Alec’s head snapped up to look at him. “When was this?”

“A couple of months ago. They were having a row. Tom was really, really laying into Danny. And he's that much bigger…” Paul squinted at him confusedly. “I reported it to both sets of parents. I thought Ellie would have told you.”

“No. She didn't mention it…” Alec scanned the contents of the box as all the pieces of things he knew about Tom Miller floated back towards the surface. He needed to see his notes again. 

Paul let out a long breath, crossing his arms in front of him. “Look, I should tell you that Tom knows that I have this. He threatened to tell you that I abused Danny, if I handed it over.”

Alec pulled his chin back at that. “He said that?” Paul nodded and Alec sighed as he realized what he’d be forced to ask now. “And did you abuse Danny?”

Paul gave him a dead sort of look, like he knew the DI was going to ask, but was annoyed about it anyway. “No,” he answered boredly, and Alec nodded.

“Is Rose still here?” He asked, looking around the vicar towards the door.

Paul glanced behind him as well. “Yeah, has been all day. I hope you don’t mind me saying, she’s not been herself.”

Alec bit the inside of his lip. “Mind if I go find her?”

In answer, Paul stepped aside, allowing Alec to walk past him and into the chapel.

He found her in her classroom, sat on the rug stringing bunting flags that the overly-decorated room clearly did not need.

“Hey,” he said as he entered, shutting closed the cardboard box before joining her on the floor. “Anything I can do to help?”

Rose glanced up at him and pressed her lips together in consideration. “How close are you?” She whispered, voice pleading and desperate, “to solving this.”

“Tomorrow,” he answered firmly- he could feel it now, the answer just on the edge of his consciousness. Rose nodded, closing her eyes. He reached out and grabbed her hand. “Have you eaten anything today?”

Rose snorted and shook her head, “have you?”

“Daisy made me,” he smirked and they shared a knowing smile. “She’s around here somewhere. What say you we all go out to dinner? That little Italian place you two like?”

Rose raised her brows cheekily. “Is this you just trying to get a ride back into town?” She teased him.

Alec laughed, silently amazed at his wife’s ability to bring light even when they were both hurting- even when their whole world was hurting. “Maybe a little bit” he quipped, earning a laugh from her as well. He stood up and held his hand out to her- a peace offering.

She smiled up at him and took it easily.

 

Ellie handed Susan Wright her dog back as they stood outside the station.

Susan took the leash from her and squinted. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

“Back then, in your own home, how could you not have known?” Ellie asked, the one part of the woman’s story still rubbing her the wrong way. Alec hadn’t seemed fazed, but it seemed impossible to Ellie. That she could be sleeping next to a man like that without even a hint that something was amiss.

Susan Wright just looked her up and down before walking away without a word.

 

Rose and Daisy both followed Alec back up to his office after dinner. They took up residence again in the spare waiting room as he and Ellie continued to work long into the night.

“Miller?” Alec called through his open office door as he stared at the report from SOCO on his computer. “Forensics from the hut. Boot print in the mud up the hill matches one they found inside. It's a man's size ten. What's Nigel Carter's shoe size?”

Ellie flipped through her notebook. “Ten,” she answered eventually, looking up to him. “So, what? You think Susan did see Nige?”

Alec stood up to walk around and lean against the doorframe, cup of tea in hand. “Are we missing something here? What if another person was involved?” 

Ellie sighed tiredly, “is this something for the morning?” 

Alec looked down before he remembered the conversation with Paul earlier. “Oh, by the way. Your boy and Danny. Did they fall out?”

Ellie furrowed her brow, “no.”

“Paul Coates, the vicar, said there was a fight. He said he mentioned it to you.” 

“No, he didn't.” Ellie insisted, getting offended now. “Are you saying I've been covering for my son?”

“No,” Alec answered mildly.

“You do that when you're on the back foot. You lash out.” Ellie went on.

Alec sipped his tea. “When did Danny last come up your house?”

“Oh It's 2 a.m. I don't know,” Ellie exasperated. 

“Last month? Last two months?” He pressed.

Ellie clicked her tongue, starting to gather her things together, “a bit longer.” 

“Can we borrow Tom's computer?” Alec asked her just before she could escape. 

“Fine,” Ellie grumbled, “good night.”

An email notification dinged on his computer and he walked back to see a message waiting from his contact back in Sandbrook who he’d sent Tom’s computer to.

He stared wide eyed at the results. “Of course!” He shouted, the final piece clicking into place, “shit.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments mean the absolute world to me ❤︎


	8. Episode VIII

_[Thursday, 19th of September]_

Daisy had fallen asleep on the sofa set against the wall in the station waiting room next to his office, while Rose sat at the table grading some student papers. Alec leaned against the doorframe, watching the peaceful scene indulgently before clearing his throat and making Rose look up.

“I heard you shout earlier,” she whispered so as to not wake their daughter.

“Yeah,” Alec let out, looking down to his feet as he thought how best to answer that. “I think I know who did it.”

Rose nodded and twirled her pen in between her fingers, knowing well enough not to prod for more information. Going by his tone alone- tomorrow wasn’t going to be pretty. “Elaine hasn’t taken you off the case?” She asked instead.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I have to see the chief medical officer tomorrow morning. I assume I’ll have a day left before they kick me out.” He sniffed, “that’s all I need.”

Rose glanced up to the clock ticking away on the wall informing her that it was nearly three in the morning. “Do you need the rest of tonight or can we go home?”

Alec’s eyes softened at that, noticing the bags under her eyes finally, and remembering that his lack of sleep meant the same fate for her as well. “Yeah, come on,” he nodded towards the exit, and Rose stood up gratefully as Alec went to wake Daisy. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s go home,” he whispered, pushing her hair out of her face, and regretting that he couldn’t carry her to the car.

 

Five hours later the Chief Super handed him the official medical suspension notice. “Office to be cleared by the end of the day,” she said firmly.

Alec glanced down to the paper deeming him unfit for duty, but didn’t take it. “I think I know who the killer is,” he grumbled, pushing past her.

“Well don’t walk away from me!” Jenkins called after him, but he didn't listen. “Alec!”

Ellie followed him into his office a moment later, sitting down on the end of the sofa. “My sister,” she started heavily. “This morning, she told me the night of Danny’s death she saw a man dressed in dark clothes and a hat throwing away a bag in someone’s bin- said it looked like clothes.”

“Your sister?” Alec squinted at her, “why's she just coming forward with this now?”

Ellie pressed her lips together and shrugged. “I think something’s jogged her memory.”

Alec studied her for a moment before speaking again, “did you find your boy's computer?”

She shook her head, “he said it had been stolen.”

“You believe him?”

“No.”

Alec nodded slowly, picking up a pen on his desk and setting it back down in consideration of telling her. “I called them, asked them to come in,” he settled on eventually.

Ellie's eyes widened. “Today? Without telling me?” She was near-shouting, ready as she always was to start fighting with him.

“I'm telling you now.” Alec cut off her protests firmly and changed the topic. “How's the surveillance going?”

“Susan Wright's caravan is completely empty. All cleared out. No sign of her or the dog.” Ellie summed what she’d been told early that morning, refusing to make eye contact with him as she did.

“She's just vanished? Our key witness has just disappeared?” Alec shook his head tiredly, setting his mug down on the desk in exasperation. “Great,” he said sarcastically. “So where is Nigel Carter?”

“Surveillance team lost him,” Ellie answered to the floor.

“What?” Alec was shouting now, properly annoyed. “So where is he?” He demanded.

Ellie shook her head. “They don't know. He shook them off in a back alley.”

“Oh, what is the matter with you people!?” Alec rubbed his hands down his face, sitting back in his char. “He's a major suspect! Get uniform, scour the area, bring him here now! You understand?” He ordered, and Ellie didn’t feel the need to respond as she left his office.

 

Rose stood overlooking the harbor behind their little makeshift home, debating between holing up inside her home, or going to the church. She had half a mind to take Beth and run way with her- hide her away until it was done with. She knew better than anyone that even if the investigation did end today, it was all still far from over.

 

“My computer got nicked at school,” Tom explained as they sat in the children and families waiting room, camera pointed at him and his dad beside him to make the interview official. “I left it in a bag and then it was gone.”

Alec had his hands clasped in front of his face, elbows on his knees as he sat across from them. “You mustn't lie to me, Tom,” he said seriously, letting out a long breath and pulling round the evidence bag containing his smashed up laptop. “Paul Coates said you threatened to accuse him of all sorts of shenanigans if he was to give this over to us.”

“You _threatened_ _the vicar?_ ” Joe asked his son incredulously.

Alec didn’t look away from Tom though. “Why'd you smash it up, Tom?”

Tom’s kept his eyes glued to the laptop. “It had my emails with Danny on it,” he mumbled eventually.

Alec nodded, and pulled from behind him the binder clipped stack of email transcriptions he’d printed off early that morning. “And are these your emails?” He asked, holding them up so that Tom could read the first few lines.

“How did you get those?” Tom asked quietly, his dad leaning forward beside him to read as well.

Alec turned the stack back around and flipped through them idly. “They were stored on your server,” he answered. “I hadn’t seen these before because Danny was using a different email address to the one on his home computer…” He glanced back up to the boy. “You're the only person he wrote to from this address…” He turned the page and raised his brows as if he was only just realising his next comment. “No, no. I see you and one other person,” he added mildly.

“I think he sent them from his phone,” Tom said.

“Where'd he get his phone from?”

“He said he saved up from his paper round.”

Alec studied the boy for a moment. He looked tired, maybe a bit worried, but also somewhat uninterested in the whole of it. “Why didn't you mention that you and Danny fell out?” He asked, shaking his head and gesturing with the papers.

“I thought you already knew.” Tom finally looked up to meet the detective's eye.

“In these emails, Danny's asking you to stay away from him.” Alec pointed to the transcripts. “Says he doesn't want to see you any more and you're no longer friends. Why was that?”

Tom finally showed some emotion at that. He looked sad, and Alec could see the tears just behind his eyes as he answered. “He said he found a new friend. Someone who understood him better than me.”

Alec turned to the page he had marked. “You write to Danny 'I wish you were dead.' He replies, 'Wishing won't make it happen.' You email back, 'I could kill you if I wanted.'” He read out loud.

Joe jumped forward at that. “Oh, for God's sake, it's just kids, just boys falling out.”

Alec ignored him. “Did you kill Danny, Tom?”

“Come on!” Joe exclaimed exasperatedly.

Alec barely spared the man a glance. “I'm talking to your son, Joe, not you.”

Joe’s mouth snapped shut, his jaw clenching, and Tom looked down to the ground as he shook his head. “No.”

“If you're lying to me, Tom, there'll be very serious consequences,” Alec warned him. “Now, if you want to tell me you were involved in Danny's death-”

“That's enough.” Joe cut him off, standing up and grabbing Tom’s coat from the floor. “If you want to questioning him like that, we need a solicitor.”

“Fine,” Alec remained unfazed, having accomplished already what he needed to. “We're done for now. We need a DNA sample. Then you can go.” He motioned to the officer standing ready for them outside the door they were already walking out of.

“Oh, Tom,” Alec got his attention just before he could turn around. “What is your shoe size, Tom?”

“Five,” he answered easily, holding the door.

Alec didn’t look up as he wrote that down and called to the boy’s father as well. “What about you, Joe?”

“Uh… ten.” Joe answered, shaking his head confusedly and squinting a bit before grabbing Tom by the arm and hauling him out of there.

 

Alec stood on the edge of the rocky shore, just a few miles away from where Danny’s body had been found. He glanced over as Ellie approached him.

“Sir, why'd you call me all the way down here?” She asked by way of greeting. “What's going on?”

“I was here before,” he said instead of answering. “On this beach- I came here as a kid… We had a tent- some campsite near the cliff. I tried looking for it when I first came.” He looked around him mildly.

“You came on holiday to Broadchurch?” Ellie sounded surprised for a number of reasons- not the least of which being that it appeared like her boss was actually attempting to make conversation.

Alec nodded, keeping his hands shoved in his pockets. “Didn't remember I was here till the day I arrived. It freaked me out… Those bloody cliffs still there. Still the same. I used to sit under them and get away from my parents arguing. They kept bickering till the day Mum died. Last thing she ever said to me she said, 'God will put you in the right place even if you don't know it at the time.' Rose still says it all the time.”

Ellie squinted at him, thoroughly confused now. “What are you saying that for?” She asked, wrinkling her nose, but her mobile rang before Alec could answer (or probably not answer).

“Hello?” She said, pausing as the caller replied. She shoved her hand to the receiver and looked up to Alec. “Danny's phone is on. They're tracing the signal. The killer must have switched it on. We can track the signal.” She informed him quickly with wide eyes.

Alec nodded, looking unsurprised. “Right, you get back, question Nigel Carter, get the truth out of him.” He ordered, holding his hand out to take her mobile from her. “This is Tyler-Hardy. Will you send the tracking signal coordinates to my phone?” He spoke into it, “good, okay.”

He handed the phone back to a perplexed Ellie and ignored her look. “Go on. Go. Go.” He shooed her away, but then called to her back when she got about halfway up the beach. “Miller!” She turned around to face him. “You've done good work on this, Miller. Well done.”

Ellie’s face fell.

 

Alec sat in the passenger seat of Officer Phil’s car, telling him where to turn as the tracker beeped on his phone. He told him to stop when the reached the entrance to the field that backed up to a number of the Broadchurch residential roads.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and was halfway to telling Phil to wait in the car when the words that Daisy had said earlier that morning echoed in his ears. “Just don’t go anywhere alone,” she pleaded with him, terrified of her father dying purely for not being able to get help.

“Come on,” he grumbled, “stay behind me.”

Phil nodded and shifted the car into park, pulling the key out of the ignition and following the detective inspector into the middle of the field.

The phone continued to beep, bouncing off cell towers and satellites, directing him towards the killer.

He walked south, away from the Latimer’s house. He could see his destination in the distance.

Phil knew well enough to stay silent as he kept a number of paces back. Alec was made of harsh angles, but still he had an almost defeated sort of look about him as he walked.

That was the first sign. That this arrest wouldn’t be cause for celebration.

Alec walked through the fence leading to the road Ellie lives on, and Phil remained carefully stoic as Alec turned into the detective sargeant’s drive, pushing the already opened door and walking through the little white cottage.

They passed Tom without word, making slow progression through the house until they reached the back door. Alec stepped out into the garden, glancing to Phil behind him only minutely before leading them down the overground path towards the shed.

Alec ducked inside, and Phil kept one hand on his weapon as he peaked around the door. Amongst the fire wood and old discarded children’s toys, Joe Miller stood holding Danny’s missing smartphone.

“I’m sick of hiding,” he said.

Alec let out a long breath. Part of him had hoped he’d been wrong. He motioned for Phil to cuff him as he read out the police caution.

 

_[62 days earlier…]_

Danny was sat sideways on Joe’s lap, hugging him. They’d been like that for nearly an hour before the older man sat back with a sigh, hand falling to the small of Dan’s back.

“I know I said tonight was the last time,” he started, “but we're not doing anything wrong.”

“I'm not going to meet you anymore.” Dan answered, standing up and starting to walk away.

“Oh, come on, Dan…” Joe made to reach out and grab him.

Danny skirted away from his grasp. “Try and stop me,” he challenged, heading toward the door. “I'll tell Dad.”

“No, no, no,” Joe stepped in front of Danny at that, blocking his exit. “Let's not be silly, okay? I mean, what would you say, anyway? We meet up and hug. So what? You tell your dad and...he won't understand. You tell people what we've been doing, they won't understand. No one will. They'll say it's wrong and it's sick and it's not. It'll ruin everything. The whole of our world. The whole of our lives. And it'll be on you. Is that what you want?”

At some point in his wild rant Joe had leaned closer to the boy until they were practically breathing the same air. “No,” Danny answered quietly, and Joe straightened back up.

“No. Of course not.” He agreed, getting out of his space and sitting down on the sofa.

Danny flung open the door and ran.

“Shit! Danny! Danny!” Joe chased after him.

With hardly any light guiding him Danny crashed into a fence post, cutting his hand on a bit of old barbed wire, he winced in pain, but kept running until he stood at the edge of the cliff.

“Whoa! What are you doing?” Joe asked frantically, standing a few meters back and holding his hands out placating.

“We shouldn't have ever done this,” Danny answered miserably, inching closer to the edge.

“I... I... I'm sorry, all right?” Joe appeared at Danny’s side, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I shouldn't have said those things. Let's go back together, all right? All right?” Danny nodded slowly and Joe guided him back to the hut.

When they got back inside though Joe locked the door.

“What are you doing?” Danny demanded.

Joe spun around to face the boy, frantic again. “Promise this'll stay between us, then you can leave.”

“Or what?” Danny asked incredulously, squinting at him.

“Just promise, Dan!” Joe shouted.

Danny took a small step back, shaking his head. “I know what you want from me.”

Joes eyes widened and he shook his head vehemently at that. “I don't want anything,” he insisted.

“You do, and you're too afraid to ask!”

“Do not say those things, Dan!”

Danny still wouldn’t back down. “Why don't you do them to Tom instead?”

Joe lunged at the boy. “I am not that man!” He screamed, shoving Dan into the wall and holding him there by the throat.

“Let go” Danny choked out, unable to get any air, but Joe didn’t listen, ranting angrily instead.

“I never touched you! I never touched Tom and I never will! Do you understand? You do not say those things about me! I helped you...and you won't spoil it. You do not spoil it!” Spit was flying into Danny’s face.

Danny’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell limp.

 

_…_

Joe sat across from Alec in the interrogation room. They’d taken his clothes from him already, now dressed in the sterile white paper jumpsuit and shoes. A solicitor sat next to Joe, taking notes, and a random DC joined Alec, keeping quiet.

Alec had listened to Joe’s tale of the night of Danny’s death, and kept his face carefully passive through the whole of it.

Joe was shifting around anxiously now as Alec began asking questions.

“What was the exact nature of your relationship with Daniel Latimer?” He asked.

Joe glanced up from the table. “I was in love with him.”

“When did this start?”

“About nine months ago. Mark gave Danny a split lip. Danny came round to ours to see Tom- didn't know where else to go. I fixed him up. We talked.”

“And then what happened?”

“He'd come round to play with Tom. He'd always come and find me. We'd have a chat. He told me he couldn't talk to his dad like that. That's when we started… meeting, just the two of us.”

“Did you tell Ellie or Tom?” Alec asked, and Joe shook his head, whispering the no. “Why not?”

Joe sniffed miserably. “I wanted something that was mine. Ellie has her job. Tom… does his own thing. But Danny... I felt like he needed me.”

“Where did Ellie think you were?”

Joe shrugged, “running. cycling, pub…”

“So you lied about where you were?” Alec clarified, and Joe nodded smally. “Did you ever touch him?”

“No,” Joe answered quickly, vehemently. “All I ever asked for... was for him to hold me.”

“Standing up? Sitting down? In a chair? Clothed? Naked?”

Joe cringed at the word and shook his head, “clothed.”

“How long would the hugs last?”

Joe’s eyes snapped up to meet his. “Why does it matter?”

“Everything matters. I need the facts, Joe. I need to understand.” Alec answered firmly, pointing to the file in front of him.

Joe shouted at him then. “If I can't understand it, why should you?” He sat forward angrily.

Alec didn’t even flinch at the outburst, just patiently waited until he sat back again, his breathing returning to normal. “Did you ever give Danny presents?” He asked, bringing the interrogation back.

Joe sighed heavily. “Mobile phone. Beginning of the year. Told him not to show Mark and Beth,” he mumbled.

“Did you ever give him any cash?”

“Five hundred pounds. It was part of our spending money for Florida.”

“Why did you need to give Danny that amount of money, Joe?”

Joe started crying again at that. “I wanted him to love me,” he answered pathetically.

It took all of Alec’s training and experience not to throw something at that, he took a deep steadying breath, ignoring the way his head spun. “Two nights ago, why did you call from the hut?”

Joe shook his head. “I couldn't take any more. I caused Jack's death too. I knew you'd check the number. I wanted it just to be you. To confess. Then I saw Ellie… so I ran…” There was a long pause wherein Alec simply studied Joe tiredly. Joe looked up to him, “does Ellie know?”

Alec sighed. “No,” he answered, and then announced to the tape that he was pausing the interview before standing up and walking out of the room without another look towards the murderer.

When he got into the corridor he leaned heavily against the wall. His vision blurred as the headache throbbed against his skull, making his heart strain. He shook it off best he could and took the three steps towards the room where Ellie sat.

“Do you mind?” Ellie shouted as he strode into the room purposefully without knocking. “For the sake of the tape, DI Tyler-Hardy-”

“Interview terminated at 1:33pm.” Alec cut her off, and then looked to the other officer in the room. “Take him.” He ordered, and neither the DC or Nigel and his solicitor wasted time getting out of there.

“He's my suspect!” Ellie protested, looking around confusedly as the three of them left and Alec sat down across from her.

“Sorry, Miller.” He said, restarting the tape.

“What is going on?” Ellie demanded.

“It's not him.”

“How do you know?”

Alec ignored that for now. “I need to ask you a couple of things,” he said, sitting forward. “Where were you the night of Danny's death?”

Ellie raised her brows. “What?”

Alec closed his eyes. “Just... please,” he pleaded. “I'll explain. But we just... We need to keep this simple. So I'll ask questions. You give me the answers.”

“What, you think it was me?”

Alec gave her a serious look. “Where were you?”

“Are you serious?” Ellie sat back, crossing her arms in front of her.

“Please, Ellie.” Alec begged again.

Her brow furrowed at that. That was worse than him telling her she’d done a good job. “Don't call me Ellie.”

Alec sighed heavily. “Just… tell me where you were the night that Danny Latimer died.”

Ellie’s jaw clenched. “I was at home. We just got back from Florida that morning.”

“So that night... What did you do? Unpack? Get ready for work? What?”

“I went to bed. I get terrible jet lag, so I have these pills I take and they knock me out.” Ellie looked him up and down, attempting to read the unreadable man.

“What time did you go to bed?” He went on.

“Half seven, eight… Why are you asking me this?” She tried again.

“Did you notice Joe come to bed?” Alec tried not to wince too visibly.

Ellie pulled her chin back, a terrible feeling now crawling up her spine. “No,” she answered, and then gave him her own serious look when he didn’t ask any more questions. “Okay, now tell me what's going on,” she insisted.

Alec stood up and walked around the table to her side.

“What are you doing? Why are you coming around here?”

Alec let out a long breath, sitting down beside her. “It was Joe. Joe killed Danny Latimer,” he finally answered.

“No,” Ellie felt her world crashing down around her and pulled away from him in her chair. “What the fuck? No, he didn't.” She shook her head, but Alec just continued to watch her sadly. “He didn't.”

“We have him in custody. He confessed. Sorry.”

Ellie stood up suddenly, her chair scattering to the side as tears started running down her cheeks. She stumbled over to the corner and vomited.

Alec crouched down beside her. “It's okay. It's all right.” He spoke quietly.

“No,” Ellie sniffed, shaking her head and looking up to him miserably. “S-Susan Wright. She saw Nige. My sister…”

“No, they saw Joe… Same build, facial similarities, bald head under the hat. They thought they saw Nige but they saw Joe,” Alec explained calmly.

“No, it's not Joe. It's not Joe. It's not Joe. Please. You're wrong.” Ellie was more babbling now more than arguing, convinced she would wake up from this horrible nightmare.

“I'm not.”

“I want to see him.” Ellie cried, and when Alec didn’t answer she stood up firmly. “I want to see him.”

Alec shook his head. “No, Ellie. I’m sorry.”

“I want to see him!”

“You have to excuse yourself from this investigation.”

Ellie growled and lunged past him, flying out the door towards the other interrogation room.

“Somebody get her!” Alec shouted, and down the corridor Phil came running to his aid just as Ellie flung the door open.

“El...” Joe started.

“HE WAS ELEVEN!” Ellie screamed, and Phil grabbed her arms before she could take another step towards him. “YOU PIECE OF SHIT!” She shouted at her husband, trying and failing to get out of the officer’s grasp. She kicked and punched the air to no avail until finally she was dragged back into the corridor and she collapsed against the wall with a broken sob.

 

Rose stared down at the message on her phone with shaking hands

 **-Joe Miller killed Danny.** Alec had sent.

He never told her anything about the investigation. Twelve years they’ve been married and never had he told her before announcing it to the public who’d done it.

Her hand flung to her lips as she stifled a gasp. Tears ran unabashedly down her face.

 

“We booked you a family room at the hotel on the roundabout.” Alec spoke to Ellie as she sat stoically on the sofa in his office. “Pete will meet you there with Tom and Fred. You can pick some stuff up on the way. Don't talk to anyone. Shut the curtains. Lock the door. Don't answer the phone to anyone that isn't me.”

“If you need me to do anything on the paperwork or stuff I've been following up… my desk's a mess.” She spoke senselessly before looking up to him. “Tell me this isn't happening,” she whispered.

Alec looked at her sadly, and Phil appeared in the door frame before he could try to form a response to that.

“Is this my car?” Ellie asked.

Phil nodded, holding the door open for her, “yeah.”

“Thank you, Phil.” Alec told him sincerely, using his real first name and everything.

Phil nodded in understanding as Ellie walked past.

Alec watched through his office window as she went to her desk, grabbing her coat and pausing slightly to stare down at a picture she had by her computer. The entire bullpen watched her leave.

He collapsed back into the couch and pulled out his phone to text Rose, deciding then and there that it was special circumstances this time.

A few minutes later she called and he answered before the first ring could end. “Hey,” he greeted quietly.

“Oh my God, Alec,” she choked out, and he could tell she’d been crying. He let his own tears fall finally at her voice.

“I know.”

“We let him take Daisy out! She stayed over at his house! He-” she cut herself off suddenly, clapping her hand over her mouth as another sob took her. “This is going to tear the town to shreds,” she whispered.

Alex nodded, rubbing at the bridge of his nose tiredly. “I’m making the announcement in three hours,” he told her. “In the meantime I have to tell the Latimers and brief the rest of the team…”

“So I have to tell Daisy by myself.” Rose summed easily, expecting that. “That’s okay, love. I understand. You still have the hardest parts.”

“Good luck,” he said.

“More to you,” she whispered back. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” he ended the call and stood to speak to the team out there waiting for him.

He stood against the filing cabinet and looked out at all the somber faces. “At 5pm, I'll tell the family. I'll then make a short statement to the media. And then we all need to be on hand because this information is gonna run a crack through this community.” He paused for a long moment. “You all know DS Miller. She has been removed from the case and put on leave with full pay. There is no suggestion that she knew, all right? There is no suggestion that she covered anything up. You're her colleagues and her friends. This is unthinkable for her. She'll need you. She'll need all of us.”

 

Ellie balanced Fred on her hip and two of their bags in her other arm as she squeezed through the short walkway of their hotel room just outside of town.

“This is nice. This is an adventure.” Ellie attempted to sound cheery as she set their things down, Tom following in behind her with the suitcases. “Are you hungry? We could get chips. We could sit on the bed, watch telly, eat chips out the packet.”

Tom stared at his mother,who’d been acting strangely all afternoon. Police tape lined their house now and all the sudden they were staying in a hotel. “Tell me what's happening,” he said firmly.

 

Daisy stared at her mum. “Joe?” She repeated the question, not for the first time. “Joe Miller? Tom’s dad? Ellie’s husband?”

Rose nodded, tear tracks still staining her skin. “I’m sorry, Daisy.”

Daisy shook her head and fell into her mother’s side, crying herself now too. “Why?” She whispered desperately.

 

Alec knocked on the door to the Latimer home.

“Mark,” Alec greeted when the man answered, “do you have a minute?”

Mark nodded, not suspecting anything out of the ordinary. “Course I do,” he called down the hall for Beth. “Come in.”

“Thanks.” Alec stepped over the door frame and headed towards the sitting room just as Beth entered from the kitchen. “Hi, Beth.”

“Hiya,” she said, smiling at her best friend’s husband rather than greeting the man investigating her son’s murder.

Alec returned her smile with one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Hi, um, maybe we could all take a seat?” He gestured to the sofa where her mother was already sitting.

Beth’s face fell at that, and she looked up to meet Mark’s eye, both of them going to join Liz on the couch, Chloe coming a second later.

Alec sat in the armchair across from them and let out a long breath before speaking. “We have charged someone with Danny's murder,” he started solemnly.

“Oh, God. I don't want to know.” Beth sat back, looking away towards the window.

“No, that's good.” Mark nodded, trying to look strong.

“Is it someone we know?” Beth asked.

Alec closed his eyes for half a second before nodding. “It's Joe Miller,” he told them.

“Oh my God,” Chloe whispered, hand flying to her mouth as she looked up to her parents for a hint of what to do.

All three of the adults looked too stunned for words. “No, it can't be. They only live across the field.” Liz protested eventually.

Alec sighed. “He and Danny had been meeting in secret for the last few months… We can't tell you much more, but we do believe that we have the right person.

Beth pressed her lips together. “What about Ellie?”

“She didn't know,” Alec shook his head, giving Beth the look she knew well by now- the one that meant he was serious and needed her to believe him.

Mark stood up suddenly though, marching out of the room.

“Mark? Mark?” Beth called after him, but the door slammed shut a moment later. She looked back to Alec. “Are you sure?” She asked quietly, and Alec nodded.

 

“Tom, there's something you need to know.” Ellie started, sitting with Tom on one of the beds in the hotel room. “They've um.. We've found out who killed Danny.” Tears welled up in her eyes again. “Sweetheart, it was your dad,” she finally managed to choke out.

Tom shook his head, unable to get any words out, but he started crying as well as he leaned into his mum.

“Yes, love. I can't explain it. I really wish I could,” she brushed his hair back. “Okay Tom, I have to ask you. Why did you send those threatening emails to Danny?”

“He said he didn't want to be my friend anymore,” Tom cried, “said he found a new friend. I was angry.” He paused, “it was Dad, wasn't it?”

 

Lucy ran into the Echo news offices as DI Tyler-Hardy was just beginning to address the media. “Olly,” she managed to stage-whisper, her ears still ringing with the call she’d just gotten from her sister.

Olly tore his eyes away from the telly to see his mother’s distraught face, and rushed over to her.

“It was Joe,” she choked out, and Olly’s eyes widened, head snapping back up to reread the lower third in horror. “Just get your things,” Lucy ordered gently, and Olly nodded running back over to his desk to grab his coat and follow her out the door.

 

Alec met a small group of journalists outside on the steps in front of the the police station to make the announcement. He wouldn’t name Joe Miller, but the arrest was public record now. It wouldn’t be long before his face was plastered all over the BBC nightly news anyway.

“A 38-year-old man from Broadchurch has today been charged with the murder of Daniel Latimer,” he began. “Danny’s family has been informed, and ask for privacy at this time. I would ask all members of the media not to do anything that would prejudice the suspect's right to a fair trial. This has affected the whole of the local community, few people have been left untouched.” He paused for a moment, the faces of nearly every person in town flashing across him, he took a breath. “As the senior investigating officer, I would respectfully ask that the town is now left alone to come to terms with what took place here. The privacy of everyone concerned should be respected.” He pressed his lips together, glancing down to his notes. “We’re not currently looking for anyone else in relation to the crime. This has been a delicate and complex investigation, and it has left its mark on a close-knit town. Now is the time for Broadchurch to be left to grieve and heal away from the spotlight.” He nodded, “thank you.”

Not a single reporter had a dry eye as he walked away.

 

Chloe had gone on a walk, and Mark had still yet to have returned from wherever he’d run off to after Alec had told them. Liz was somewhere around the house, cleaning in order to keep her hands busy, and so Beth sat on her own in the sitting room, arms wrapped around herself protectively as she stared out the window. The sun began to set, and she called Rose.

“I don’t know what to do,” Beth said as soon has her best friend came through the door and pulled her into a hug. She led them through until they were sitting on the floor in front of the sofa. “What do I do now, Rose? I kept thinking, once it was solved, that’s when things could start getting better. Once I had answers. But that’s not what I have. I just have more questions.”

“I know,” Rose nodded, “and I’m sorry. I know you don’t believe me but I promise things will get better. It just takes time.”

“But when will they?” Beth begged. “Because it’s like one day I feel like maybe I can do this. I can have this baby and I can live with my grief, but then it’s like it’s swallowing me whole.”

Rose squeezed her friend’s hand. “Healing isn’t a straight line.”

Beth sniffed and wiped yet another treacherous tear from her cheek. “I don’t think I can face Ellie,” she finally admitted. “She had to have known-”

“She didn’t,” Rose cut her off seriously. “You know she didn’t, Beth.”

Beth shook her head and looked up towards the twilight window. “I just can’t understand,” she whispered. “How did this happen? _Why?_ ” Her eyes met Rose’s again. “Has Alec told you? What happened?”

“They haven’t released the details yet,” Rose answered quietly. “The only thing Alec told me is that it was Joe- and that was only so I could tell Daisy before someone else did.”

Beth nodded slowly, holding her bottom lip between her thumb and forefinger as she failed to fight back another sob. “What do I do?” She asked again miserably, but Rose just shook her head and pulled her into another hug.

 

Ellie went walking as soon as Lucy and Olly showed up to watch the boys. She didn’t know where she was going exactly, but she ended up standing the the field that connected her and Beth’s houses. She stared up at Beth’s window at made eye contact with the woman a few minutes later.

Beth met her in the field.

She’d gone out there meaning to do what Rose had told her to. To forgive, to see it from her point of view. But as soon as she came up to her all of her resolve was gone. She shook her head. “How could you not know?” She choked out instead, and then turned on her heel before Ellie could try to reply.

Ellie stood there, watching Beth go with tears streaming down her face again as her careless words from yesterday were thrown back at her, leaving scars.

 

She knocked on Alec’s back door later in the night, and watched as Rose peaked around from the kitchen, giving her a small smile before disappearing again, and Alec turning up a moment later.

He slid open the glass door and stepped out to join her.

They sat there on the patio furniture in silence for a while until finally Ellie broke it. “How could any adult be in love with an 11-year-old boy?” She asked, “is he a paedophile? Because the pathologist said there was no record of abuse on Danny, either historic or recent. I asked Tom and he said Joe never touched him, so what does that make him?”

Alec pressed his lips together. “Why do you need a category?”

“I need to understand,” she answered desperately.

Alec let out a long breath at that, nodding slowly and tilting his head to the side as he considered how to go about answering. “Well… just because he didn't abuse either boy, it doesn't mean that he wouldn't have gone on to.”

“Doesn't mean he would have either,” Ellie argued.

“No,” Alec agreed. “We'll never be sure… He said he was in love. Maybe he was romanticising to justify what he felt. Or… or maybe that's as it was. I don't have these answers. People are unknowable.” He summed up his entire position on human beings in general. “And you can never really know what goes on inside someone else's head.”

Ellie looked down to her hands. “I should have seen it,” she spoke out loud the mantra drumming through her head.

“How?”

“I'm a bloody detective! Miller the brilliant copper who was lying next to the murderer.” She shifted her jaw forward and her eyes looked about for answers that weren’t there.  “I want to kill him,” she admitted, meeting Alec’s eye again, but he only nodded understandingly. “When did you suspect?” She asked.

Alec sighed. “Last day or so… There was an email account on Danny's missing phone. He only had two contacts. It was just Tom and Joe, so…” He drifted off, allowing her to fill in the blanks.

She shook her head miserably. “All along you said don't trust.”

“I really wanted to be wrong,” he answered honestly.

 

A few days later was Danny’s funeral.

The Latimer’s took the front pew; Alec, Rose, and Daisy sitting just behind them. Tom sat next to Daisy as well, having had to come on his own since Ellie was still hiding from the world.

In front of the too-small casket Danny’s name was spelled out in daisies, dotted with yellow roses. Daisy knew it didn’t mean anything- a random choice from the florist, but that didn’t stop her from hiding her face in her mum’s shoulder as soon as she saw it.

The families wails echoed through the church as they proceeded down the aisle, and the entire town of Broadchurch was crying before Paul got out his first words.

“The Bible says, ‘let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another. Tender-hearted. Forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you,’” Paul told them. He looked to Danny’s picture and out towards the parishioners, shaking his head slightly. “After what we've been through… I don't know. But we have a responsibility to ourselves and to our God to try.”

Rose pressed herself into Alec’s side as more tears fell from both of them, taking comfort in the arm he wrapped around her. She could hear his heart struggling still, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight, choking out another sob and holding her hand out behind her for Daisy to take.

 

After Danny was finally laid to rest, the town marched together to the funeral pyre already set up along the beach, all of them carrying burning torches to light their path through the darkened night.

The Latimers gathered at the top of the cliff, about a mile away, and when Paul flashed his torch light, they lit the beacon up there. Rose stepped forward and lit the pyre in response.

They all stood around, watching it burn, until Paul tapped Rose’s arm and she turned to see as he pointed. Along the coast, all the other towns had fires burning as well- for miles Danny was being remembered.

“How did everyone know?” Rose asked, looking to the vicar, “was this you?”

“I passed the word,” Paul smirked, “maybe the word was good.”

 

Through the smoke and the flame Beth could see her boy standing there, smiling up at her.

She blinked and he was gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season 2 coming soon.


End file.
